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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
I love the idea of this book. I think there needs to be many more of this sort of genre that offers representation to characters that we don't hear from as often. That being said, I am aware that the author is not trans and yet is trying to write this from a trans perspective. In a perfect world, maybe someday, this should be attainable and believable. In the current world though, even if this is researched to within an inch of its life, it is a big ask. It is difficult enough to try to write an opposite sex protagonist and make it believable, and this is the common scenario..But then to venture into an area of culture that is less discussed and portrayed publicly, especially in terms of finer details or relationships, that is incredibly hard to pull off and I don't think this book quite gets there.
I think maybe in another several years, once many more books from the LGBTQ perspective are mainstream, this will not be a big deal to try.
Thanks for the early edition and keep on going.
#SomethingLikeGravity #NetGalley #SimonandSchusterChildrensPublishing #MargaretKMcElderryBooks
I think maybe in another several years, once many more books from the LGBTQ perspective are mainstream, this will not be a big deal to try.
Thanks for the early edition and keep on going.
#SomethingLikeGravity #NetGalley #SimonandSchusterChildrensPublishing #MargaretKMcElderryBooks
This was such a great read! I loved that the story didn't start with Chris's coming out but rather the aftermath of it. I definitely liked Chris's character more than Maia's and often found myself wondering what in the world she was doing. I hoped to see more of the development and change in Chris's mom as well. I also liked the end wasn't wrapped up in a neat little bow.
*ARC received by NetGalley
This was incredible. This story follows Chris, a transboy teen, and Maia, his next door neighbor after Chris chooses to live with his Aunt for a few months. So, this was amazing at breaking both Chris and Maia and why they worked together and also why they didn’t. It took complex themes and wove them into a kinda cliche narrative about two people, and two families, on the brink of collapse, and turned it into a cropping, sad, and inspiring contemporary.
Amber Smith’s writing was fantastic, and she has a really way of pulling at your heart-strings in a non-exploitative way that still give you major feels. This book was atmospheric, low-key when it needed to, and emotional even during the quietest of moments.
This was incredible. This story follows Chris, a transboy teen, and Maia, his next door neighbor after Chris chooses to live with his Aunt for a few months. So, this was amazing at breaking both Chris and Maia and why they worked together and also why they didn’t. It took complex themes and wove them into a kinda cliche narrative about two people, and two families, on the brink of collapse, and turned it into a cropping, sad, and inspiring contemporary.
Amber Smith’s writing was fantastic, and she has a really way of pulling at your heart-strings in a non-exploitative way that still give you major feels. This book was atmospheric, low-key when it needed to, and emotional even during the quietest of moments.
What I really appreciated about Something Like Gravity was its focus on Chris and Maia’s coming-of-age struggles, whether that meant figuring out life as a young trans person, navigating parental relationships, grieving for a lost sibling, or falling in love for the first time.
Amber Smith does a great job of writing teen voices in a way that is believable without being dumbed down. I am a picky YA reader to be sure, but a big fan when it’s done right—and this book hit the mark, in my opinion. Chris and Maia both drew me in and had me rooting for them until the end.
Amber Smith does a great job of writing teen voices in a way that is believable without being dumbed down. I am a picky YA reader to be sure, but a big fan when it’s done right—and this book hit the mark, in my opinion. Chris and Maia both drew me in and had me rooting for them until the end.
emotional
lighthearted
Thank you @simonschusterca for the copy of this book!
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I really enjoyed this book! It had great characters, great plot development, beautiful writing, and dealt with diversity in an poignant way!
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Chris goes to stay with his aunt for the summer in order to get away from the chaos at home. Chris has recently come out as transgender, and following an assault, he has been finding it hard to cope with his surroundings. In this new town, there is Maia, who is struggling to cope with her sisters recent death, and tries to find out who she is while trying to figure out her sister. That just felt like a long winded explanation, but this book is super complex with many different pieces connecting it that it’s hard to explain fully! -
When Chris and Maia meet, they learn how they can come to terms with their realities by getting to know each other and talking through their struggles. I really liked the alternating view points, and how we got to see what was happening in both Maia and Chris’ mind. I also feel like the author handled the difficult topics of death of a sibling and the struggles to come out as transgender very well, although I have not experienced either so I’m talking just from my perception and conversations with those who have experienced such circumstances. -
Overall, a great book and one I would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a YA novel that is not your typical insta love romance novel!
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I really enjoyed this book! It had great characters, great plot development, beautiful writing, and dealt with diversity in an poignant way!
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Chris goes to stay with his aunt for the summer in order to get away from the chaos at home. Chris has recently come out as transgender, and following an assault, he has been finding it hard to cope with his surroundings. In this new town, there is Maia, who is struggling to cope with her sisters recent death, and tries to find out who she is while trying to figure out her sister. That just felt like a long winded explanation, but this book is super complex with many different pieces connecting it that it’s hard to explain fully! -
When Chris and Maia meet, they learn how they can come to terms with their realities by getting to know each other and talking through their struggles. I really liked the alternating view points, and how we got to see what was happening in both Maia and Chris’ mind. I also feel like the author handled the difficult topics of death of a sibling and the struggles to come out as transgender very well, although I have not experienced either so I’m talking just from my perception and conversations with those who have experienced such circumstances. -
Overall, a great book and one I would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a YA novel that is not your typical insta love romance novel!
Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy to review! Before we get into the nitty-gritty, can we just admire how absolutely beautiful this cover is? It's one of the reasons I requested it on NetGalley in the first place, though I had heard great things about the book as well. It should have been included on my June Releases to Watch Out For post, because it's definitely one you should keep an eye on.
Told in alternating chapters, we really get to get in the heads of both Maia and Chris. Despite a rocky beginning, they quickly become close, utilizing the freedom of summer to just be together. One of the things I enjoyed the most about was the journey that both of the characters go through. They're both struggling with their own problems, but with each other, they're able to kind of work through them, and I thought that was beautiful.
I also did a bit of research about this book, because it's a book with a transgender narrator by someone who isn't transgender. I always like to see if these stories are authentic to the voice they're portraying. For the most part, it seems like Smith does it justice, as long as you keep in mind that it isn't own voices. But! We should also make sure to support stories from Own Voices authors as well. I'll be doing a post about that later this month!
All in all, Something Like Gravity is a beautiful love story whose release date is perfectly settled in the middle of Pride Month. If you're looking for a slightly different romance to read this summer, definitely pick this one up!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy to review! Before we get into the nitty-gritty, can we just admire how absolutely beautiful this cover is? It's one of the reasons I requested it on NetGalley in the first place, though I had heard great things about the book as well. It should have been included on my June Releases to Watch Out For post, because it's definitely one you should keep an eye on.
Told in alternating chapters, we really get to get in the heads of both Maia and Chris. Despite a rocky beginning, they quickly become close, utilizing the freedom of summer to just be together. One of the things I enjoyed the most about was the journey that both of the characters go through. They're both struggling with their own problems, but with each other, they're able to kind of work through them, and I thought that was beautiful.
I also did a bit of research about this book, because it's a book with a transgender narrator by someone who isn't transgender. I always like to see if these stories are authentic to the voice they're portraying. For the most part, it seems like Smith does it justice, as long as you keep in mind that it isn't own voices. But! We should also make sure to support stories from Own Voices authors as well. I'll be doing a post about that later this month!
All in all, Something Like Gravity is a beautiful love story whose release date is perfectly settled in the middle of Pride Month. If you're looking for a slightly different romance to read this summer, definitely pick this one up!
wow. i really liked this book.
i loved the trans representation in this. the characters were so well done and we got to see both of the main characters as well as many supporting characters grow into better people throughout the course of the book.
i also loved seeing the consent between the main characters. they were constantly asking the other if this was alright or if that was okay, and it's so important to show this in YA books.
i liked seeing the chapters from the POVs of both maia and chris, and the writing style was captivating. the romance didn't feel rushed like i see in a lot of other contemporary books, and i really liked that. overall, i would definitely recommend reading this.
i loved the trans representation in this. the characters were so well done and we got to see both of the main characters as well as many supporting characters grow into better people throughout the course of the book.
i also loved seeing the consent between the main characters. they were constantly asking the other if this was alright or if that was okay, and it's so important to show this in YA books.
i liked seeing the chapters from the POVs of both maia and chris, and the writing style was captivating. the romance didn't feel rushed like i see in a lot of other contemporary books, and i really liked that. overall, i would definitely recommend reading this.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Margaret K. McElderry Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
This was cute, and then beautiful, and then heartbreaking, and then fantastic.
This was one of those young adult books that could surpass many age groups. In other words, it wasn't too teen-dialogue/cringey for an adult to read. This was almost a perfect contemporary romance for me. My only issue was that the romance seemed to progress too quickly. They literally went from being acquaintances, to hating each other, to being friends, to liking each other, to loving each other in the span of about a month.
I found Amber Smith's writing style to be easy to read and cohesive from chapter to chapter. This book is written in dual perspectives from the POV of Chris and Maia, with every chapter alternating between the two characters.
I also enjoyed the development of the main characters over the course of the story, although it would've been nice to see more details about each characters respective friend groups. I also enjoyed the clear distinction between Maia and Chris's voices. Sometimes young adult novels told in dual perspectives can seem a little one note when it comes to each character's voice. Amber Smith did a great job creating that distinction between tone and voice for Chris and Maia.
Overall, this was a beautifully written young adult romance. I would recommend this to any lover of YA contemporary romance, but what really made this special for me was that little touch of secrecy with Maia how the death of her sister truly effected her.
This was cute, and then beautiful, and then heartbreaking, and then fantastic.
This was one of those young adult books that could surpass many age groups. In other words, it wasn't too teen-dialogue/cringey for an adult to read. This was almost a perfect contemporary romance for me. My only issue was that the romance seemed to progress too quickly. They literally went from being acquaintances, to hating each other, to being friends, to liking each other, to loving each other in the span of about a month.
I found Amber Smith's writing style to be easy to read and cohesive from chapter to chapter. This book is written in dual perspectives from the POV of Chris and Maia, with every chapter alternating between the two characters.
I also enjoyed the development of the main characters over the course of the story, although it would've been nice to see more details about each characters respective friend groups. I also enjoyed the clear distinction between Maia and Chris's voices. Sometimes young adult novels told in dual perspectives can seem a little one note when it comes to each character's voice. Amber Smith did a great job creating that distinction between tone and voice for Chris and Maia.
Overall, this was a beautifully written young adult romance. I would recommend this to any lover of YA contemporary romance, but what really made this special for me was that little touch of secrecy with Maia how the death of her sister truly effected her.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.
Don't waste your time. This book was not written/edited/proofed by a trans person, It's not even well-researched and at least low-key offensive.
Don't waste your time. This book was not written/edited/proofed by a trans person, It's not even well-researched and at least low-key offensive.