Reviews

Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson

drphillgucci's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

linde99's review against another edition

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3.0

This is just very boring. Nothing special really

tayken's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

4.0

erincataldi's review

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3.0

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!

graybulla's review

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5.0

literally NO ONE is doing sapphic contemporary YA like leah johnson. no one!!!!

ajm2013's review against another edition

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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? It's complicated

4.5

alexa_mariee's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

smalltownbookmom's review

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4.0

A heartfelt summer queer YA love story that is equally light hearted music festival fun but also tackles some heavy issues from grief over the loss of a parent to gun violence to sexual assault/victim blaming. I was so there for this book about female friendship and first love between two young Black teens set against the backdrop of a Woodstock esque Music festival. Highly recommended for fans of Leah Johnson's other books and great on audio.

CW: gun violence, death of a parent, sexual assault/abuse

ldyb's review against another edition

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2.0

idk who wrote the second half of this book but it didn’t go well

mckinlay's review

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3.0

2.5