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binevolentbookworm's review against another edition
i don't think i like when men write women, especially teenagers. idk, wasn't jiving with the story overall either! i am not a huge fan of when books incorporate a lot of online interaction, even though that's a huge part of our world today, it often reads clunky to me.
kelsiereads15's review
5.0
I never thought that a book with such an intense pinball machine presence would be one that I would enjoy, but here we are. I found this book to be so delightful and fun.
I loved our main characters so much. Their growth through grief and learning to let go and move on was so bittersweet. I also love childhood friends to rivals to friends again. It's just SO SWEET to watch them grow back together and heal. I LOVED IT.
I also appreciated that there was no real villain in this book. While her dad was mostly misguided and blinded by his drive to succeed, he was also willing to admit his faults and make amends. It was really nice!
Would absolutely recommend this book for those who need a lighter, fun book about pinball machines!
I loved our main characters so much. Their growth through grief and learning to let go and move on was so bittersweet. I also love childhood friends to rivals to friends again. It's just SO SWEET to watch them grow back together and heal. I LOVED IT.
I also appreciated that there was no real villain in this book. While her dad was mostly misguided and blinded by his drive to succeed, he was also willing to admit his faults and make amends. It was really nice!
Would absolutely recommend this book for those who need a lighter, fun book about pinball machines!
barbistull's review
4.0
Adam and his mom run a local pinball arcade that was the pride and joy of his late father. Since it is the tether to his dad, Adam focuses on trying to make things work and prevent an e-sports company from purchasing his dad's legacy.
Whitney is a senior in high school who is handling many hurdles along the way. She handles the social media account for her dad's e-sports café business. Yes, the same e-sports company who is looking to acquire the pinball arcade.
Add in a untimely snow storm trapping both Adam and Whitney in the arcade overnight and the fun is bound to happen. As a fan of 80's music, I was intrigued title nod to a Fleetwood Mac song. As a large part of this book involves a pinball arcade, I was committed to read it without any additional information. I feel like some of the back story of the grief Adam is dealing with after the loss of his father could have been expanded on a bit, but otherwise I enjoyed it. 4 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the e-arc of this book.
Whitney is a senior in high school who is handling many hurdles along the way. She handles the social media account for her dad's e-sports café business. Yes, the same e-sports company who is looking to acquire the pinball arcade.
Add in a untimely snow storm trapping both Adam and Whitney in the arcade overnight and the fun is bound to happen. As a fan of 80's music, I was intrigued title nod to a Fleetwood Mac song. As a large part of this book involves a pinball arcade, I was committed to read it without any additional information. I feel like some of the back story of the grief Adam is dealing with after the loss of his father could have been expanded on a bit, but otherwise I enjoyed it. 4 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the e-arc of this book.
annalenawrites's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This wasn't really for me but the overall idea was cute, maybe I just read it at the wrong time.
tjkaiser's review
3.0
Not enough build in the romance, not enough snowed-in shenanigans, not enough Fleetwood Mac references for a title like this!
lizal's review
3.0
I wanted to love this book because I love the author as a person from twitter. But this book fell flat to me. I felt like the timeline was as gripping and it read more as a short story then a novel. I didn’t feel any emotion for the characters together but Whitney had a lot of potential and I would love a book just about her in her pov. Sorry Adam but you’re boring and you smell bad.
booksicle's review
5.0
This book was… spectacular. Not just because it was a nice and heartwarming YA romance, but because it had a much deeper meaning between the lines. It was about forgiveness, and about letting go when it doesn’t do any good to hold on anymore. Whether it’s a place or people without their best interests for you. Even if letting go is one of the most painful things ever. Eric Smith did such a fantastic job with this, and finding a good balance between pop culture references and the characters. Although I question Whit’s favorite Mass Effect game, I loved seeing bands like The Wonder Years and REO Speedwagon showing up in conversation.
I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a book where you need a little push. A little philosophy mixed with games and the amazing world of a pinball arcade and an esports cafe colliding.
There were so many quotes I’ve highlighted (a first for me!) that I know I’ll return to later on this year. I’ll leave one of my favorites here.
“So much about pinball is about letting go. Pulling the plunger and taking the journey. And there’s a lot I need to let go of. But it’s so much easier playing a game, than living a life.”
I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a book where you need a little push. A little philosophy mixed with games and the amazing world of a pinball arcade and an esports cafe colliding.
There were so many quotes I’ve highlighted (a first for me!) that I know I’ll return to later on this year. I’ll leave one of my favorites here.
“So much about pinball is about letting go. Pulling the plunger and taking the journey. And there’s a lot I need to let go of. But it’s so much easier playing a game, than living a life.”
lnl_03's review against another edition
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25