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lizzye33's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Dysphoria
Moderate: Classism, Cultural appropriation, Racism, and Cursing
Minor: Child death and Toxic relationship
bootsmom3's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
loveval's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Toxic relationship
Minor: Lesbophobia and Homophobia
Si bien mi adoración por los libros de romance es infinita, hay algo del romance con personajes adolescentes que me cuesta más que aquellos YA, capaz porque yo misma pertenezco al primer grupo, sin embargo "Counting Down with You" es la excepción. No solo tenemos a una protagonista de color cuyos problemas hacen que el lector empatice fácilmente con ella, sino que su interés romántico es probablemente uno de los mejores varones de ficción que alguna vez he leído. Si necesitan de una lectura tranquila, llena de emociones y amor joven, este libro es la elección perfecta.irisheyz77's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Biphobia
moonytoast's review
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
READER'S NOTE: this book has some heavy content, specifically surrounding parent/child relationships and issues of controlling behavior, so if that's potentially triggering for you please be aware!
listening to enough for you by olivia rodrigo while reading this was maybe not the best choice bc it 1000% contributed to me absolutely SOBBING
listening to enough for you by olivia rodrigo while reading this was maybe not the best choice bc it 1000% contributed to me absolutely SOBBING
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Toxic relationship
katiemack's review
emotional
funny
tense
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
4.0
This is a wonderful debut novel; even without reading the Author's Note at the beginning, it's clear that this is based on Bhuiyan's lived experiences, and she is so authentic and vulnerable when conveying her (I mean, Karina's) feelings and reactions. The way she conveys her anxiety disorder feels relatable, and I enjoyed how the relationship between her and Ace (who is less bad-boy-rebellion than the synopsis lets on) developed over the course of the book.
I also appreciated how Bhuiyan writes about her ever-supportive Dadu, who is wonderful and contrasts sharply with Karina's parents (who seemed overly but not unrealistically strict), and the evolution of Samir's understanding of his relationship with his sister and his place in the family was done well. I want to acknowledge the reviews I've read stating that Bhuiyan is misrepresenting Bengali culture and Islam in harmful ways; I won't speak to that because I have no experience of Bengali culture, and my experience of Islam is only based on my in-laws (who are wonderful and nothing like Karina's parents). As a romance, though, it's pretty delightful.
I also appreciated how Bhuiyan writes about her ever-supportive Dadu, who is wonderful and contrasts sharply with Karina's parents (who seemed overly but not unrealistically strict), and the evolution of Samir's understanding of his relationship with his sister and his place in the family was done well. I want to acknowledge the reviews I've read stating that Bhuiyan is misrepresenting Bengali culture and Islam in harmful ways; I won't speak to that because I have no experience of Bengali culture, and my experience of Islam is only based on my in-laws (who are wonderful and nothing like Karina's parents). As a romance, though, it's pretty delightful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Toxic relationship
mybookthrone's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
"I want to know what makes you come alive."
I absolutely adored this.
I cried, laughed, sighed, cheered and more whilst reading this novel, this is definitely one to add to your list if you enjoy romantic contemporaries.
+ accurate/realistic representations of anxiety.
+ POC representations and LGBTQ+ rep: (Karina is Bangladeshi, Nandini is Indian, and Cora is half-Chinese and bisexual).
+ fake dating trope.
(CW/TWs: anxiety, mental strain, toxic relationship, family pressure)
Most of the novel takes place within one month (28 days) while Karina's parents are away visiting family in Bangladesh. Her grandma comes and stays with the family during this period and Karina begins to feel a little freer without her overbearing parents. As the top English Literature student, she begins to tutor the resident bad boy Ace who is failing and is unexpectedly thrust into a fake-dating relationship...
Tashie is such a talented writer and poet, I loved the poetry interspersed in this novel and you can tell Tashie loves poetry as much as prose. I have so many highlights in this book, the writing is gorgeous and lyrical and I would read anything Tashie writes.
"there's a lightness to my steps there wasn't before,
there's a brightness in my heart there wasn't before.
if you held me up to a candle,
my silhouette would be covered in your name."
I especially enjoyed the text messaging between Nandini, Cora and Karina as this felt very realistic. This was such an easy read, the pacing was perfect and the chapter titles referring to the days left before her parents came back (T-Minus 20 days etc) were ideal in keeping track of how much time had passed.
'"You have to hide so much of yourself from your parents. Do they even know who you are?"'
I do not appreciate how much it made me cry!!! Full on sobbing, so be prepared and have tissues available. There are moments in this book that just break your heart. Yes, some parts are cheesy and I didn't believe a sixteen year old boy would say some of the things he did, but I still loved this! I enjoyed the snarky banter between Karina and Ace:
'"It sounds like you have a crush on me."
"If by crush, you mean a growing urge to choke you, then yes."
"Choke me, huh?" Ace smirks, reaching forward to wrap a lock of my hair around his finger.'
Dadu has my heart, I love her and she is the MVP! No one can tell me otherwise. I can't even begin to imagine the amount of pressure that Karina is under, having an immensely strict family where your future path is written out for you and you have no say in said direction.
I would recommend this if you're a fan of contemporary romances set in high school, clean romance -there's just kissing, poetry, romance that's sickeningly sweet, exploring family relationships and friendships, and the journey of finding and loving yourself.
5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to the publishers for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
I absolutely adored this.
I cried, laughed, sighed, cheered and more whilst reading this novel, this is definitely one to add to your list if you enjoy romantic contemporaries.
+ accurate/realistic representations of anxiety.
+ POC representations and LGBTQ+ rep: (Karina is Bangladeshi, Nandini is Indian, and Cora is half-Chinese and bisexual).
+ fake dating trope.
(CW/TWs: anxiety, mental strain, toxic relationship, family pressure)
Most of the novel takes place within one month (28 days) while Karina's parents are away visiting family in Bangladesh. Her grandma comes and stays with the family during this period and Karina begins to feel a little freer without her overbearing parents. As the top English Literature student, she begins to tutor the resident bad boy Ace who is failing and is unexpectedly thrust into a fake-dating relationship...
Tashie is such a talented writer and poet, I loved the poetry interspersed in this novel and you can tell Tashie loves poetry as much as prose. I have so many highlights in this book, the writing is gorgeous and lyrical and I would read anything Tashie writes.
"there's a lightness to my steps there wasn't before,
there's a brightness in my heart there wasn't before.
if you held me up to a candle,
my silhouette would be covered in your name."
I especially enjoyed the text messaging between Nandini, Cora and Karina as this felt very realistic. This was such an easy read, the pacing was perfect and the chapter titles referring to the days left before her parents came back (T-Minus 20 days etc) were ideal in keeping track of how much time had passed.
'"You have to hide so much of yourself from your parents. Do they even know who you are?"'
I do not appreciate how much it made me cry!!! Full on sobbing, so be prepared and have tissues available. There are moments in this book that just break your heart. Yes, some parts are cheesy and I didn't believe a sixteen year old boy would say some of the things he did, but I still loved this! I enjoyed the snarky banter between Karina and Ace:
'"It sounds like you have a crush on me."
"If by crush, you mean a growing urge to choke you, then yes."
"Choke me, huh?" Ace smirks, reaching forward to wrap a lock of my hair around his finger.'
Dadu has my heart, I love her and she is the MVP! No one can tell me otherwise. I can't even begin to imagine the amount of pressure that Karina is under, having an immensely strict family where your future path is written out for you and you have no say in said direction.
I would recommend this if you're a fan of contemporary romances set in high school, clean romance -there's just kissing, poetry, romance that's sickeningly sweet, exploring family relationships and friendships, and the journey of finding and loving yourself.
5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to the publishers for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Toxic relationship
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