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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
Ben De Backer is a lovely protagonist. Even though I can’t relate to everything they’re going through, their narration feels so real and I could really feel all the emotions through the text. Mason Deaver has done an excellent job of making Ben feel like a real teenager and I think many teenagers of this generation would be able to see themselves in Ben. While the dialogue is a bit cheesy at times, I love how all the characters are written and the way we see their relationships with each other unfold as the story goes on. There were so many moments where I was laughing with the characters and it was like I was right there with them. Ben and their sister Hannah’s in particular was fabulous in the sense that it really showed the human side of people- there’s regret that remains unsaid for a long time, but also mending, forgiveness, and understanding. And of course, the slow (and believe me, it’s SLOW) burn romance between Ben and Nathan that is too sweet for words— I was 100% falling in love with Nathan alongside Ben. Mariam was a great character too, and their friendship and endless support for Ben should remind all of us of how much we all deserve to have someone that is there for us no matter what.
There’s more I could say about this book, but I’ll save it to keep this reader spoiler-free. I’ll just end this by saying that I Wish You All the Best is sweet, funny, sad and inspiring in all the right places and I would recommend it to anyone with a heart.
There’s more I could say about this book, but I’ll save it to keep this reader spoiler-free. I’ll just end this by saying that I Wish You All the Best is sweet, funny, sad and inspiring in all the right places and I would recommend it to anyone with a heart.
When I first picked up this book, I was looking for a cute and lighthearted book to read and let me tell you that was not what I found! This book had me on the edge of tears almost the entire time. I especially loved the way family relations were portrayed (although I don’t think love is necessary the right word). It was so important to read about the parents and how even though they weren’t physically abusive, their word and actions still hurt and affected Ben and their sister through out their lives. I loved Bens and Hannah’s relationship, it was incredible to see them to grow and heal together, to learn how to support and forgive each other.
emotional
hopeful
sad
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:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
🎨Really cute story, very healing for me as a nonbinary person
🎨The pacing was a little fast so it felt like the relationship developed a little fast so I would have loved for that to have been a little more fleshed out
🎨The mental illness rep wasn’t amazing but it definitely wasn’t bad
🎨I definitely struggled with being in Ben’s head but they grew on me
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This book was an amazing coming of age story that managed to first break my heart and then put it back together. It opens with the main character living every queer persons’ worst nightmare: getting kicked out of their house for coming out. After that emotional opening all I wanted was to wrap Ben up in a warm blanket. Thankfully, Hannah, Thomas, and Nathan did that for me. But to start with Ben. They felt so real to me, with their anxiety and trauma response of dissociation. It was a privilege watching their development as they healed from their trauma and became more open to love and care from the people around them. Their relationship with Nathan was especially wholesome, with how hard Nathan tried to include Ben in everything and be their friend and eventually more. I liked how slow burn that relationship was to give Ben time and space to heal. I do wish there had been some more on page development of Ben and Hannah’s relationship though. But overall this was an amazing book and I highly recommend it.
It’s on me for reading this as an adult- this was very clearly for YOUNG adults. It was hard not to think about the logistics of everything at every turn of this book. How the f*ck is the sister expected to just take them in, even if she’s older?? Also why is Miriam, someone graduated from college, friends with a high schooler? Regardless, I love to read nonbinary characters, and it felt true to my experiences of anxiety and dysphoria.
I think this book could’ve been fleshed out more to really dive into the relationships between the parents and the kids. It also put me right back into how immediate and impossible and BIG everything feels when you’re a teenager. It’s so fucking difficult to exist with those emotions.Everything was very neatly tied up at the end, which of course it was. But it just made me realize how badly I wanted more from it, even if it’s for younger audiences.
I think this book could’ve been fleshed out more to really dive into the relationships between the parents and the kids. It also put me right back into how immediate and impossible and BIG everything feels when you’re a teenager. It’s so fucking difficult to exist with those emotions.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders
this book was therapy for me to read. i adore so many aspects in about it. i was also expecting the romance to be a bigger part of it but was pleasantly surprised when it wasn’t. and honestly i’m glad for that
also the title >>>>
also the title >>>>
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
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:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
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