Scan barcode
hdcamp's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think...I loved this
I've been sitting in my apartment since March, devastated by the aftermath of the Harry Potter series. I was chewed up and spit out, and have had no luck getting into any other books since.
This story pulled me out of my slump. It was super twisty in the best ways, and I loved how vibrant the characters were. I felt viscerally stressed, offended, and shocked by turns, which for me is a rarity among contemporary YA. Loli is the best and worst character - she's so completely arrogant, selfish, and spoiled, and I really wanted to hate her (and sometimes succeeded, honestly), but somehow Musikavanhu made me love spending time in Loli's brain. She was engagingly written, relentlessly flawed, and so blind to it. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion, and when we finally reached the breaking point, it was somehow both shocking and the only logical consequence for her actions. And the other characters are no less engaging, even the secondary ones. Wolf was one of my favorites, I'd love to read more about him, and I also loved that Loli and Ryan's moms were seen so frequently.
The Mysterious Voice's identity evaded me completely. I can't praise the author enough for her skill here. Usually I can see this coming a million miles away, but *chef's kiss* Honestly, the author (and Loli) mention cliches all the time, and I loved the way Musikavanhu played with them. There are a bunch of examples of common tropes that she uses, like the prom, the romance with MV. My favorite is probably
So yes, I highly recommend this one for absolutely anyone. I've made a playlist on Spotify with all the chapter tracks (just search "Ride or Die"), so you can listen as you read. I have trouble listening to music while I read (especially if it has words), but musical accompaniment was too much fun to pass up, and it rounded out the main trio even more.
I think...I loved this
I've been sitting in my apartment since March, devastated by the aftermath of the Harry Potter series. I was chewed up and spit out, and have had no luck getting into any other books since.
This story pulled me out of my slump. It was super twisty in the best ways, and I loved how vibrant the characters were. I felt viscerally stressed, offended, and shocked by turns, which for me is a rarity among contemporary YA. Loli is the best and worst character - she's so completely arrogant, selfish, and spoiled, and I really wanted to hate her (and sometimes succeeded, honestly), but somehow Musikavanhu made me love spending time in Loli's brain. She was engagingly written, relentlessly flawed, and so blind to it. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion, and when we finally reached the breaking point,
Spoiler
when Loli misses Ryan's performance and Ryan calls her on her bs,The Mysterious Voice's identity evaded me completely. I can't praise the author enough for her skill here. Usually I can see this coming a million miles away, but
Spoiler
the fact that he was literally under our noses the whole time, the way I had to go back and re-read the previous times he showed up, was justSpoiler
I guessed Ryan's feelings for Loli pretty early on, but wasn't sure until the end, and the red herring of his sexuality did kind of throw me a bit.Spoiler
the chase scene with the train, where Ryan literally jumps onto a moving train to save Loli. That is straight out of every action movie ever, and it made me chuckle.So yes, I highly recommend this one for absolutely anyone. I've made a playlist on Spotify with all the chapter tracks (just search "Ride or Die"), so you can listen as you read. I have trouble listening to music while I read (especially if it has words), but musical accompaniment was too much fun to pass up, and it rounded out the main trio even more.
becinneverland's review against another edition
4.0
I found out about this book because I’m lucky enough to have gone to high school with Gail-Agnes and WOW is it so good. I love the blend of genres, I love the twists and turns that this book takes. I am a sucker for a book that explores close knit friendships and this book nails that. Genuinely cannot wait to see what else she publishes if this is the debut!!!!
lettertokylie's review against another edition
2.0
JUSTICE FOR CLAY. if loli doesn't want him, i'll take him.
SPOILERS:
okay, but for real. i honestly don't know how to feel about this book. the entire first half, i was hoping (PRAYING, more like) that loli's best friend, ryan, didn't have a crush on her. because, while i liked the central plot with loli and the mystery guy in the closet, i hated even the IDEA of ryan's cheesy, crush-induced angst.
then, to my surprise, his angst turned out to be him dealing with his asexuality, and i was THRILLED. good representation AND we were avoiding the cheesiness that i hated?
well... that's what i thought. instead, this book whipped right back around and finished with ryan and loli ending up together??? in the last few chapters??? the quick disregarding of clay was infuriating, especially since he was maybe the most interesting character and the dynamic between him & loli was genuinely working for me. also, the constant back-and-forth in this book just didn't work. the reader needs to feel like they know who they should be rooting for, and that did not happen here.
anyway, clay & loli were robbed. i'd take them over her & ryan any day!
SPOILERS:
okay, but for real. i honestly don't know how to feel about this book. the entire first half, i was hoping (PRAYING, more like) that loli's best friend, ryan, didn't have a crush on her. because, while i liked the central plot with loli and the mystery guy in the closet, i hated even the IDEA of ryan's cheesy, crush-induced angst.
then, to my surprise, his angst turned out to be him dealing with his asexuality, and i was THRILLED. good representation AND we were avoiding the cheesiness that i hated?
well... that's what i thought. instead, this book whipped right back around and finished with ryan and loli ending up together??? in the last few chapters??? the quick disregarding of clay was infuriating, especially since he was maybe the most interesting character and the dynamic between him & loli was genuinely working for me. also, the constant back-and-forth in this book just didn't work. the reader needs to feel like they know who they should be rooting for, and that did not happen here.
anyway, clay & loli were robbed. i'd take them over her & ryan any day!
kandacewithak's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
When I first received “Ride or Die” I expected a YA novel that involved teens being teens. In reality, you’ll be shocked that kids are doing all this
When I first received “Ride or Die” I expected a YA novel that involved teens being teens. In reality, you’ll be shocked that kids are doing all this
_amezingreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
commaflirting's review against another edition
This book has a lot of promise, unfortunately, I just wasn't as intrigued as I thought I would be. Loli just doesn't relate to me as a character, and the mystery messenger didn't give me any reason to want to know who he was. Maybe I'll attempt to reread in the future...
wrenl's review against another edition
4.0
Dear god, Loli is reckless. Which makes this book a fun read. You get to watch a teenager have limited-consequences fun. As an adult with a Full Time Job and a cat to feed, I liked the escapism. My high school days were definitely not like Loli’s.
But I really loved the whole secret message thing. It makes me want to write my own puzzles. Wouldn’t it be fun to run around your city, learning new things and having new experiences that way?
Also, I’m happy Loli faces consequences. They don’t feel very permanent, but she does understand her actions have consequences. It’s important to teach people that you can’t just live life without a care. What you do impacts others, and sometimes, that impact matters a lot.
If you like Never Have I Ever but wanted more pranks and recklessness, this is the book for you.
But I really loved the whole secret message thing. It makes me want to write my own puzzles. Wouldn’t it be fun to run around your city, learning new things and having new experiences that way?
Also, I’m happy Loli faces consequences. They don’t feel very permanent, but she does understand her actions have consequences. It’s important to teach people that you can’t just live life without a care. What you do impacts others, and sometimes, that impact matters a lot.
If you like Never Have I Ever but wanted more pranks and recklessness, this is the book for you.