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sophiebaker's review against another edition
5.0
I went into this not even expecting to like it. Instead, I loved it.
kaikai1618's review against another edition
5.0
HOLY SHIT! This is one of the best books I've read. The writing style is spectacular and ITS SO PERFECT. This book was very accurate and real to life but in a way that captured the teen life that Eliza has. I mean there wasn't constant drama all the time for entertainment, it was normal and like life was going on but there were underlying problems. The writing was so natural and the way Eliza's life was described never made me bored.
There's a certain way this book explained Eliza's supposedly hermit personally and showed her anxiety. I keep saying the writing was good but how can I not? I mean I felt like emerged in the world and I felt the weight of her anxiety throughout the book. It just happened and I have never had that experience where it naturally fell upon me since it was part of her character in such a real way.
When I finished the book, that's when I truly realized how good the writing was. When writing is the best, you don't always notice cause you're just experiencing everything. When I finished I felt like I stepped through a door and it was lifted away.
I loved the humor, this author had great dialogue and just everything. I had all the feelings and I think the pacing of the book and how it progressed through the story was brilliant. As a person who loves art and fandom this book hit home. I understood it and I related to a lot of different things in it.
******SPOILER SECTION***** (tbc)
What I really loved about this book was how the relationship was executed in a way that made sense for the characters. I've read a lot of romance contemporaries that are all the same. They fall in love very fast and then there is something that drives them apart for. "The other person's own good" or something like that and their dynamic is always specific.
With this book the pacing was slower, but it didn't feel like it dragged on it was still interesting and I still wanted to read. The pacing was good because Eliza isn't just some smitten girl with some guy and she hasn't experienced this stuff yet. The relationship realistically builds up from a friendship and it doesn't suddenly move fast where Eliza suddenly gets the urge to go crazy teen. She holds back and when he wants to kiss her he asks and she explain her awkwardness. She wants it but wants it as a surprise cause she has no idea what she's doing. And they don't kiss when he asks. Book I've seen never do that. If they don't kiss it because they get into some kind of argument. But this book portrays how Eliza feels. I didn't even feel upset about them not kissing I was still too shocked at Wallace was asking cause I didn't expect it. This book keeps doing that. Catching me off guard. When then actually kiss I almost accidentally skipped over it.
Also the main focus of the book wasn't the romance. It was a main aspect but at the same time it wasn't. ThE main parts I really feel like were Eliza trying to do new things and Eliza's full life. There were close moments but you could tell the whole books basis wasn't their relationship. And what was great about their relationship was that they liked each other but they were truly friends who talked with each other. And their relationship just felt like a part of Eliza's life along with her ongoing anxiety and introverted habits.
This book wasn't dramatic either. It didn't need something entirely shocking or interesting to happen all the time. It had multiple different things going on that felt everyday, but also gave you the feeling of what it's like for Eliza with her anxiety and hermitness. You wouldn't even know you experienced it but then you feel it afterwards like a blanket on you that hovers over everything you do. Everything else was just interesting in itself. Seeing their relationship or learning more about Wallace's life and feeling your shoulders tense when his dad talks to him about collage. The only "dramatic" thing was when people found out who she was.
Thing is when everything got even more serious that before I was always on the edge of my seat.
(Will add specific other things later)
BRILLIANT BOOK WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND
There's a certain way this book explained Eliza's supposedly hermit personally and showed her anxiety. I keep saying the writing was good but how can I not? I mean I felt like emerged in the world and I felt the weight of her anxiety throughout the book. It just happened and I have never had that experience where it naturally fell upon me since it was part of her character in such a real way.
When I finished the book, that's when I truly realized how good the writing was. When writing is the best, you don't always notice cause you're just experiencing everything. When I finished I felt like I stepped through a door and it was lifted away.
I loved the humor, this author had great dialogue and just everything. I had all the feelings and I think the pacing of the book and how it progressed through the story was brilliant. As a person who loves art and fandom this book hit home. I understood it and I related to a lot of different things in it.
******SPOILER SECTION***** (tbc)
What I really loved about this book was how the relationship was executed in a way that made sense for the characters. I've read a lot of romance contemporaries that are all the same. They fall in love very fast and then there is something that drives them apart for. "The other person's own good" or something like that and their dynamic is always specific.
With this book the pacing was slower, but it didn't feel like it dragged on it was still interesting and I still wanted to read. The pacing was good because Eliza isn't just some smitten girl with some guy and she hasn't experienced this stuff yet. The relationship realistically builds up from a friendship and it doesn't suddenly move fast where Eliza suddenly gets the urge to go crazy teen. She holds back and when he wants to kiss her he asks and she explain her awkwardness. She wants it but wants it as a surprise cause she has no idea what she's doing. And they don't kiss when he asks. Book I've seen never do that. If they don't kiss it because they get into some kind of argument. But this book portrays how Eliza feels. I didn't even feel upset about them not kissing I was still too shocked at Wallace was asking cause I didn't expect it. This book keeps doing that. Catching me off guard. When then actually kiss I almost accidentally skipped over it.
Also the main focus of the book wasn't the romance. It was a main aspect but at the same time it wasn't. ThE main parts I really feel like were Eliza trying to do new things and Eliza's full life. There were close moments but you could tell the whole books basis wasn't their relationship. And what was great about their relationship was that they liked each other but they were truly friends who talked with each other. And their relationship just felt like a part of Eliza's life along with her ongoing anxiety and introverted habits.
This book wasn't dramatic either. It didn't need something entirely shocking or interesting to happen all the time. It had multiple different things going on that felt everyday, but also gave you the feeling of what it's like for Eliza with her anxiety and hermitness. You wouldn't even know you experienced it but then you feel it afterwards like a blanket on you that hovers over everything you do. Everything else was just interesting in itself. Seeing their relationship or learning more about Wallace's life and feeling your shoulders tense when his dad talks to him about collage. The only "dramatic" thing was when people found out who she was.
Thing is when everything got even more serious that before I was always on the edge of my seat.
(Will add specific other things later)
BRILLIANT BOOK WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND
mirandawood's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wow. This has such a bigger impact than I would have imagined. After reading a book with very heavy topics, I picked this up thinking it’ll be a cute little YA book and mainly that it’ll be light and happy story. Something. To lift me up. At parts it is exactly that, but there’s some darker parts too. This deals with some mental health issues and navigating how to recognize when you need help. But it also has a very cute love story intertwined.
adelle_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Všichni jsme občas Eliza Mirk. K téhle knížce se asi budu moc ráda vracet.
amandalyn's review against another edition
4.0
Man, I really enjoyed this book, but it did make me feel a little old. I found myself agreeing with Elizas parents, and that hurt some part of my soul. Not that they did everything right, but that they were trying and Eliza wouldn’t give them an inch. I’m getting too far away from my teen years apparently.
But other than that, I loved this book. I love the artwork and the talk about creating something. I loved it’s dealing with mental health and how it was depicted. I loved that her parents never shamed her for needing help, and got her in with a therapist right away. Sometimes, I couldn’t relate to Eliza, but I felt myself way more in Wallace and it was enough to keep me invested in the story. I would definitely recommend this novel!
But other than that, I loved this book. I love the artwork and the talk about creating something. I loved it’s dealing with mental health and how it was depicted. I loved that her parents never shamed her for needing help, and got her in with a therapist right away. Sometimes, I couldn’t relate to Eliza, but I felt myself way more in Wallace and it was enough to keep me invested in the story. I would definitely recommend this novel!
choimaximalistjae's review against another edition
5.0
ho-ly crap. i absolutely love this book now. it may not be my favourite of all time or anything, but it has to be in the top ten, probably even top 5, of my favourite books.
i loved the writing style and adored the use of mulit-media (comic pages, writing from wallace's book, the forums, etc). i've never read a first-person pov book before, and i'm glad this was my first one. i also loved how the characters were written, you hated them when you were supposed to hate them, you loved them when you were supoosed to love them, and you were sad for them when you were supposed to be sad for them.
BUT I GOT TO TELL YA WHEN WALLACE WAS A BITCH TO ELIZA AFTER HER IDENTITY WAS REVEALED I WAS READY TO THROW HANDS. but then towards the end, especially in the epilogue and the original epilogue (included in this edition), when he went back to being a sweetie i was so happy for him and eliza. they are so freaking cute together and i am so glad they found eachother.
and the ending was so sweet, i got to tell you, i cried a bit. especially during the original epilogue that was included in this edition. everything was also wrapped up really nicely, and the last words of the epilogue were similar to first words of the prologue, which made it much more impactful.
all-in-all, this was a great book, please read it, i reccomend it to everyone. if you think you won't like it, i assure you, there will be something in here that you will love. please try it out, it is such a good story and has such a good message.
i loved the writing style and adored the use of mulit-media (comic pages, writing from wallace's book, the forums, etc). i've never read a first-person pov book before, and i'm glad this was my first one. i also loved how the characters were written, you hated them when you were supposed to hate them, you loved them when you were supoosed to love them, and you were sad for them when you were supposed to be sad for them.
BUT I GOT TO TELL YA WHEN WALLACE WAS A BITCH TO ELIZA AFTER HER IDENTITY WAS REVEALED I WAS READY TO THROW HANDS. but then towards the end, especially in the epilogue and the original epilogue (included in this edition), when he went back to being a sweetie i was so happy for him and eliza. they are so freaking cute together and i am so glad they found eachother.
and the ending was so sweet, i got to tell you, i cried a bit. especially during the original epilogue that was included in this edition. everything was also wrapped up really nicely, and the last words of the epilogue were similar to first words of the prologue, which made it much more impactful.
all-in-all, this was a great book, please read it, i reccomend it to everyone. if you think you won't like it, i assure you, there will be something in here that you will love. please try it out, it is such a good story and has such a good message.
ilovemydogsomuch's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
3.5
fantasynovel's review
5.0
So I just motored through this book I 3 hours, and it was probably some of the best 3 hours of my life. This book reached right inside me and touched my goddamn soul.