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room334's review
challenging
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Very sweet overall. Some of the social media obsession hit a little TOO close to home, but a lot of the characters weren’t super likable.
annamay1021's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Body shaming
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
relyu39's review
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.5
jennireadz's review
4.0
4 Stars
Rep: questioning-bisexual, Puerto Rican, & fat MC, Puerto Rican SCs, sapphic & fat SC
Kat is obsessed with her Instagram. She checks it constantly, wanting to get recognition for her photography that she shares. She obsesses over the app, she follows a ton of influencers wanting to be like them, she keeps a running tally in her head of the amount of followers she has and compares it to every person she’s around. She doesn’t understand why she stays stagnant on her followers when she’s sharing her beautiful photos.
So, in the midst of being worried about her Instagram following, things with her best friend turning a bit more than friendly, her having strange feelings around a new, girl friend, and her broken family, she drunkenly makes a new Instagram account as Max, using pictures of a friend who has sworn off social media. And that account starts blowing up - she wakes up to hundreds of likes and follows out of seemingly nowhere. Kat knows it’s wrong, but then she meets Elena there, and she can’t bring herself to delete the account.
This book is messy, I won’t lie, but in a beautiful way. In a very teenager way, of needing to feel like you’re in control when life is going on around you and not going the way you’d really like. One thing that really drew me in was that Kat admits to lying, but as a narrator, she seems pretty honest, because while she’s lying to the world around her, she’s not really lying to herself.
Since this book is so heavy on Instagram, I’m so glad it had passages talking about some of the harm, about how things can’t really be trusted on social media, and we see that firsthand as Max cannot be trusted because she doesn’t exist. And Kat knows there are consequences if things get out but, like a typical teenager, she thinks it’ll be okay and she’ll be able to smooth them over.
Social media is something that has taken over lives, but I rarely ever see it written about in books, especially not this way. It was a great read, I was super interested throughout the book, and each character is uniquely themselves, in the best way. I would definitely recommend this book, especially to anyone who is also obsessed with social media, but I feel like most teens and young adults can learn some lessons and truly enjoy the story.
Rep: questioning-bisexual, Puerto Rican, & fat MC, Puerto Rican SCs, sapphic & fat SC
“How is it so that the lines between what’s real and what’s edited can be so blurred on social media?”
Kat is obsessed with her Instagram. She checks it constantly, wanting to get recognition for her photography that she shares. She obsesses over the app, she follows a ton of influencers wanting to be like them, she keeps a running tally in her head of the amount of followers she has and compares it to every person she’s around. She doesn’t understand why she stays stagnant on her followers when she’s sharing her beautiful photos.
So, in the midst of being worried about her Instagram following, things with her best friend turning a bit more than friendly, her having strange feelings around a new, girl friend, and her broken family, she drunkenly makes a new Instagram account as Max, using pictures of a friend who has sworn off social media. And that account starts blowing up - she wakes up to hundreds of likes and follows out of seemingly nowhere. Kat knows it’s wrong, but then she meets Elena there, and she can’t bring herself to delete the account.
This book is messy, I won’t lie, but in a beautiful way. In a very teenager way, of needing to feel like you’re in control when life is going on around you and not going the way you’d really like. One thing that really drew me in was that Kat admits to lying, but as a narrator, she seems pretty honest, because while she’s lying to the world around her, she’s not really lying to herself.
Since this book is so heavy on Instagram, I’m so glad it had passages talking about some of the harm, about how things can’t really be trusted on social media, and we see that firsthand as Max cannot be trusted because she doesn’t exist. And Kat knows there are consequences if things get out but, like a typical teenager, she thinks it’ll be okay and she’ll be able to smooth them over.
Social media is something that has taken over lives, but I rarely ever see it written about in books, especially not this way. It was a great read, I was super interested throughout the book, and each character is uniquely themselves, in the best way. I would definitely recommend this book, especially to anyone who is also obsessed with social media, but I feel like most teens and young adults can learn some lessons and truly enjoy the story.
cherithe's review against another edition
2.0
I'm glad I didn't DNF this, although I did think about it several times while in the first half. There's a pretty big plot hole surrounding the entire issue the MC creates for herself. If you're at all familiar with influencer culture, it will likely be a hurdle for your reading experience too.
That said, the last quarter of this book, felt well earned and I really enjoyed it. it had me smiling and teary-eyed, sometimes both.
That said, the last quarter of this book, felt well earned and I really enjoyed it. it had me smiling and teary-eyed, sometimes both.
glendareads39's review
5.0
Crystal Maldonado has done it again! Maldonado is one of my favorite Latinx/YA authors. Latinx and LGBTQ representation! No filter and other lies is a great coming of age story about a Latinx Bisexual teen named Kat Sanchez.
noajasmine's review
4.0
3.75⭐️
I love Crystal Maldonado's writing style so much! I've said this so many times and I'll shout it from the rooftops! I immediately put this book on hold at the library after finishing and loving [b:Fat Chance, Charlie Vega|53399306|Fat Chance, Charlie Vega|Crystal Maldonado|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593087800l/53399306._SX50_.jpg|74578653] and I can't wait to pick up Maldonado's newest one as well.
I have to say that I didn't love this one as much as her first book (I just love Charlie so much) but I still had a good time with it and found it to have a lot of important messages and lessons. It also makes me wanna pet ALL the sweet doggos hehe
I love Crystal Maldonado's writing style so much! I've said this so many times and I'll shout it from the rooftops! I immediately put this book on hold at the library after finishing and loving [b:Fat Chance, Charlie Vega|53399306|Fat Chance, Charlie Vega|Crystal Maldonado|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1593087800l/53399306._SX50_.jpg|74578653] and I can't wait to pick up Maldonado's newest one as well.
I have to say that I didn't love this one as much as her first book (I just love Charlie so much) but I still had a good time with it and found it to have a lot of important messages and lessons. It also makes me wanna pet ALL the sweet doggos hehe
mediumyellow10's review against another edition
4.0
Okay I liked this but this was kind of insane?? Like this was a wild journey. We love a sapphic awakening and teenagers being accidental menaces bc their brains are not developed!! The consequences went kind of wild though, like we really did not try to force resolutions to issues that were given very real weight in world. Kind of insane!!