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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
informative
lighthearted
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
I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately I didn’t. The pacing was a bit off and it was repetitive at times. I feel like we don’t learn a lot about the mmc and what we do learn happens off page or from someone who isn’t him. There wasn’t really a deep development of connection so the relationship didn’t feel believable (very insta-lovey). Also the synopsis gives the impression that the mmc offers to help the FMC with signing (to which I thought would be where we see them develop a connection) and sadly that’s not how it played out in the book.
i am so incredibly happy i picked up this book. i am hearing, but still relate (due to chronic illness) to being or feeling in the “middle” of normal and disabled. i have also been working on learning ASL for my future practice in behavioral/mental health. with all this said, i was ECSTATIC to see a book about sign language while perusing the bookstore during a sale — and i am even more amped that this book went above and beyond my expectations.
having an interest in disability communities, i have been disappointed by the general lack of knowledge surrounding disabled characters, and the fact that they are often not the mc (or that disability is not the main plot line). give me a sign not only helped me to practice sign, while learning alongside lilah, but also showed me just how applicable my learning of diversity and equity is (as i am currently in classes for such topics). i’m excited to continue learning ASL, and i will definitely be coming back to this book as i go so i can see how much i’ve learned
having an interest in disability communities, i have been disappointed by the general lack of knowledge surrounding disabled characters, and the fact that they are often not the mc (or that disability is not the main plot line). give me a sign not only helped me to practice sign, while learning alongside lilah, but also showed me just how applicable my learning of diversity and equity is (as i am currently in classes for such topics). i’m excited to continue learning ASL, and i will definitely be coming back to this book as i go so i can see how much i’ve learned
Not for me. I was finding it boring, and the narrator did not help much with the voices they made (sounded very fake).
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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:
No
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
thank you so much to netgalley and penguin random house for sending me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
(to preface this review: keep in mind that i am not Deaf and therefore am not one to go to if you want to know how accurate this book is to Deaf experiences. i merely have a bit of ASL education and am disabled myself, but i am not the right person to review the representation.)
----⭐⭐⭐⭐----
lilah is a hard-of-hearing teen who struggles with not feeling "deaf enough" and feels as if she can't fit in with the Deaf or hearing community. this summer, she decides to apply to become a junior counselor at camp gray wolf- a camp for the deaf and blind that she attended a few years back. when she gets the job, she plans to brush up on her ASL this summer. she finds a community with the fellow counselors, and meets isaac; a fellow counselor that she begins to develop feelings for as he helps her with her ASL.
what i loved/liked:
-when characters used ASL, the text changed to italics to easily communicate the switch
-the display of lilah's struggle of not feeling "deaf enough"- it was relatable to me, since i am disabled, but i often feel like i'm not disabled enough since my disabilites aren't visible
-how the book showed that it's not all sunshine and rainbows and showed the ableist interactions that the Deaf community faces
-isaac taking time to confirm his feelings for lilah
-the lifeguards
-summer camp trope!!
what i didn't like:
-it felt a tad too juvenile at times for a YA book, but this was only a few points in the book
tropes:
-Deaf, HoH, and blind representation
-summer camp
-camp counselors falling in love
read if you like:
-summer camp
-teen/ya romance
-Deaf/HoH rep
quotes:
By telling me I seem "normal," they're not only shrugging off my disability but telling me that I don't fit their lowered expectations of people with disabilities. I find no pride in that.
But with change, we adapt. Like disabled people have done for, you know, all of human history. Modify, adjust, adapt, transform, innovate.
overall, i really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it!!!
once again, thank you so much to netgalley and penguin random house for sending me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
(to preface this review: keep in mind that i am not Deaf and therefore am not one to go to if you want to know how accurate this book is to Deaf experiences. i merely have a bit of ASL education and am disabled myself, but i am not the right person to review the representation.)
----⭐⭐⭐⭐----
lilah is a hard-of-hearing teen who struggles with not feeling "deaf enough" and feels as if she can't fit in with the Deaf or hearing community. this summer, she decides to apply to become a junior counselor at camp gray wolf- a camp for the deaf and blind that she attended a few years back. when she gets the job, she plans to brush up on her ASL this summer. she finds a community with the fellow counselors, and meets isaac; a fellow counselor that she begins to develop feelings for as he helps her with her ASL.
what i loved/liked:
-when characters used ASL, the text changed to italics to easily communicate the switch
-the display of lilah's struggle of not feeling "deaf enough"- it was relatable to me, since i am disabled, but i often feel like i'm not disabled enough since my disabilites aren't visible
-how the book showed that it's not all sunshine and rainbows and showed the ableist interactions that the Deaf community faces
-isaac taking time to confirm his feelings for lilah
-the lifeguards
-summer camp trope!!
what i didn't like:
-it felt a tad too juvenile at times for a YA book, but this was only a few points in the book
tropes:
-Deaf, HoH, and blind representation
-summer camp
-camp counselors falling in love
read if you like:
-summer camp
-teen/ya romance
-Deaf/HoH rep
quotes:
By telling me I seem "normal," they're not only shrugging off my disability but telling me that I don't fit their lowered expectations of people with disabilities. I find no pride in that.
But with change, we adapt. Like disabled people have done for, you know, all of human history. Modify, adjust, adapt, transform, innovate.
overall, i really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it!!!
once again, thank you so much to netgalley and penguin random house for sending me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
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
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As someone who’s trying to learn ASL, it’s great to see the perspective of a person who’s deaf, but struggles with similar things in the language. I also love the little nods to their sign names on the cover :)