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zippy_julz's review against another edition
4.0
It is always refreshing to read an Aussie book. I liked following of Penny in her journey of becoming more like able and self actualised and I appreciated that the story wasn't a cliched romance.
emmajanereads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
roseice's review against another edition
3.0
A cute, unique read. Penny stood out as a protagonist and was refreshingly forward and intelligent and I just enjoyed being in her head. The take on social anxiety was also illuminating--I expected this to be a fully light-hearted read, but it tackled a serious issue that in turn helped Penny deal with some of her own repression, and I liked how it was handled.
poachedeggs's review against another edition
2.0
I found the two main characters pretty much caricatures...
baancs's review
3.0
About an aspiring journalist’s quest to write an article featuring a love-shy guy at her school. Well... this was enjoyable to read. The two main characters were just too unbearable for me, and they weren’t even redeemed that much by the end.
missusb21's review against another edition
5.0
Honestly, every Australian book I have read so far published this year has been excellent! Love-Shy's main character, Penny reminded me a lot of Bindy MacKenzie. She's just as judgemental, just as socially misfit-ish, and extremely funny.
But there is also depth here, and a touch of sadness. Penny is so lost, and to find herself, she has to confront some mighty scary inner demons.
I loved this to bits.
But there is also depth here, and a touch of sadness. Penny is so lost, and to find herself, she has to confront some mighty scary inner demons.
I loved this to bits.
louise2000's review against another edition
3.0
I really disliked the first half of this book. Penny's bossiness (and her refusal to see it) paired with those incredibly awkward interviews made an incredibly difficult read. Her views of love-shys and how they were self-centred or - however she described them - was also incredibly wrong. However as the novel progressed it became easier to read as there were no interviews and her bossiness decreased. It had a good ending, it was just a shame the start wasn't great.
maree_k's review against another edition
5.0
Started off a bit slowly, and I found the main character Penny quite annoying and difficult to like for about the first half of the book. But it grew on me and by the end she'd won me over. Didn't enjoy it as much as Pocketful of Eyes but still a good read.
khakipantsofsex's review against another edition
2.0
I love Lili Wilkinson's books, but this particular one just didn't do it for me and I think that that was mostly because the main character was annoying and self-centred. I just couldn't connect with her. At the end she got better but that was only in the last 20 pages or so and you didn't really have time to like the new Penny. I don't like the idea of 'love-shy', it feels like something else 'nice boys' come up with to excuse why they get put in the 'friend-zone' and all that bogus. This book was slightly redeeming in the whole battle with anxiety thing because I get that. I really do. And I think Wilkinson is a genuinely nice person who wanted to address this issue because it isn't widely recognised as a mental health issue as other equally important things like depression. She also explores how being gay is not a choice and that you just have to let people be who they are. It was also refreshing to see the two main characters not 'fix' each other and get together to be happily ever after but instead help each other to help themselves and not be so superficial as to think that that is what love is.