Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
I enjoyed this book and the love interests, especially their own personal journeys— independently and together. A fun romp.
Four stars because who doesn’t like to be loved exactly for where they currently are? Also I mean normalizing plus size women in love stories I’m for it.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was everything I’d have wanted as a fat kid. This is my comfort book now.
Only gave a 4 because the roleplay at the end three me off but hey thats just me.
Only gave a 4 because the roleplay at the end three me off but hey thats just me.
I was entertained, that’s for sure. This book didn’t wow me but it surely made me cackle on multiple occasions.
When watching certain actors on interviews, I can’t help but feel that what we’re seeing — what we’re watching — is nothing but a crafted persona, a role they’re playing all the time, a mask they’re putting on for the world to watch. I feel that this book truly encompasses this aspect (and many more) relevant to the entertainment industry.
Other issues and topics are approached in this novel as well, but that’s something I won’t talk much about. I feel I should relate to April’s storyline on some degree, but I connected much more easily with the character that Marcus truly is. Reading this story was a nice way to spend time I should’ve used to do other things, truly. Fanfiction (especially AO3) aficcionados will love this.
When watching certain actors on interviews, I can’t help but feel that what we’re seeing — what we’re watching — is nothing but a crafted persona, a role they’re playing all the time, a mask they’re putting on for the world to watch. I feel that this book truly encompasses this aspect (and many more) relevant to the entertainment industry.
Other issues and topics are approached in this novel as well, but that’s something I won’t talk much about. I feel I should relate to April’s storyline on some degree, but I connected much more easily with the character that Marcus truly is. Reading this story was a nice way to spend time I should’ve used to do other things, truly. Fanfiction (especially AO3) aficcionados will love this.
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fun romcom featuring a geologist who writes fanfiction for a book series made into a successful TV series and the famous actor who stars in the show, who also writes fanfiction (secretly, naturally). The behind the scenes, the secrets, positive fat representation (with a "well-meaning" mother), plus cool rocks and a fanfic online community.
emotional
funny
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:
Yes
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
Olivia Dade is one of the romance authors that kept coming up on my radar but I couldn't get to her! I'm glad that I finally did, because I had pretty good time with it, which once you think about it isn't really a surprise. Fangirl is one of my favourite books so it's taking me embarrassingly long time to realise I really like reading about fandom.
The fandom bits were definitely my favourites from the whole book. In the Acknowledgements the author talks about how Braime (Brienne of Tarth & Jaime Lannister) fandom was the main inspiration for the fandom bits in the book and you can definitely tell. In a good way! (I am a bit Braime fan so I did appreciate that vibe and now I'm craving some fanfic...) The author also uses every opportunity to roast the GoT TV show - especially the last season - so that was pretty satisfying too. I have to say that by the end, I really wished Gods of the Gates books/show was real because the fandom ship Dade created in the fake-fanfiction bits is exactly the kind of pairing I'm drawn to, so I just really want to read some now!
I also really loved how the fandom community was depicted, it was very realistic and the user names were pure gold (TopMeAeneas was such a vibe) as a result I was sorry that the community didn't play bigger role by the end they were there as a part of April's journey to being herself and having a support system and being honest with people around her, but they weren't there for themselves, you know? And that was something I really wanted to see. I also wanted to see more clear resolution of Marcus's position in relation to the fandom especially his friendships.
Marcus was such an interesting character in general, the way he weaponized his own good looks to protect himself by creating an entirely new persona was so interesting to read about. I feel like we don't get a character like that often. I did like April a lot too, but I feel like she wasn't as unusual as heroine.
The romance was quite lovely as well, but I didn't fully vibe with it for some reason. I think it's mostly because this it kind of You've Got Mail trope with one person knowing about both identities and the other not and it just stresses me out. Marcus tried to handle the situation ethically but he did hurt April a lot and it didn't feel necessary to me. And also just... the whole conflict and the resolution of the conflict wasn't handled well in my opinion. Just... frustrating.
So I guess for me, this is the case of: the ingredients were very good, but if it were up to me, I would build them in a different configuration and story. Fingers crossed I can get to All the Feels soonish!
The fandom bits were definitely my favourites from the whole book. In the Acknowledgements the author talks about how Braime (Brienne of Tarth & Jaime Lannister) fandom was the main inspiration for the fandom bits in the book and you can definitely tell. In a good way! (I am a bit Braime fan so I did appreciate that vibe and now I'm craving some fanfic...) The author also uses every opportunity to roast the GoT TV show - especially the last season - so that was pretty satisfying too. I have to say that by the end, I really wished Gods of the Gates books/show was real because the fandom ship Dade created in the fake-fanfiction bits is exactly the kind of pairing I'm drawn to, so I just really want to read some now!
I also really loved how the fandom community was depicted, it was very realistic and the user names were pure gold (TopMeAeneas was such a vibe) as a result I was sorry that the community didn't play bigger role by the end they were there as a part of April's journey to being herself and having a support system and being honest with people around her, but they weren't there for themselves, you know? And that was something I really wanted to see. I also wanted to see more clear resolution of Marcus's position in relation to the fandom especially his friendships.
Marcus was such an interesting character in general, the way he weaponized his own good looks to protect himself by creating an entirely new persona was so interesting to read about. I feel like we don't get a character like that often. I did like April a lot too, but I feel like she wasn't as unusual as heroine.
The romance was quite lovely as well, but I didn't fully vibe with it for some reason. I think it's mostly because this it kind of You've Got Mail trope with one person knowing about both identities and the other not and it just stresses me out. Marcus tried to handle the situation ethically but he did hurt April a lot and it didn't feel necessary to me. And also just... the whole conflict and the resolution of the conflict wasn't handled well in my opinion. Just... frustrating.
So I guess for me, this is the case of: the ingredients were very good, but if it were up to me, I would build them in a different configuration and story. Fingers crossed I can get to All the Feels soonish!