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mis_evaluate's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is one of my favorite books of all time <3
rlstrayer1's review
5.0
4.5 stars
"You helped my production, and now I'm helping you. This is what women should do for one another. We are a continent. We stick together. We all rise up, or we all go down"
I loved this book so much. Full review to come once I get a good 8 hours of sleep. Been awake for 24 hours and counting....
"You helped my production, and now I'm helping you. This is what women should do for one another. We are a continent. We stick together. We all rise up, or we all go down"
I loved this book so much. Full review to come once I get a good 8 hours of sleep. Been awake for 24 hours and counting....
briarsreviews's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
5.0
Now a Major Motion Picture by Cory McCarthy is a delightful, contemporary, romance read packed full of nerdy fandom delights.
Iris Thorne is the granddaughter of famous fantasy writer M.E. Thorne. Her grandmother wrote one of the most famous fantasy novels, Elementia, which is essentially a female empowerment version of Lord of the Rings. Iris hasn't been a fan of Elementia because her Father wouldn't let her be one, and suddenly she's dropped off in the middle of Ireland with her young brother, Ryder, where they are filming the movie adaptation of her Grandma's famous work. But things won't be easy for anyone in this production - Hollywood and the film industry is hard. There will be hurdles, but there will also be a potential romance once Iris meets the incredibly cute Eamon O'Brien.
I adore this book! It's sugary sweet and a complete nerd-gasm. Throw in the female and LGBTQ+ empowerment that is riddled throughout, and you've got one heck of a read. It's medium to fast paced, easy to read, and addicting. I managed to binge this book in two nights and I have no regrets. This is the kind of rom-com I've been wanting for a while, and I'm so glad I stumbled upon this book. I'll definitely be picking up more books by Cory McCarthy ASAP.
There are some really tough parts about this book. Iris' parents are not... stellar. Honestly, her Mother is essentially out of the picture even though she's technically present in her children's lives and her Father is not a nice guy. I'd argue he's abusive. We only see small parts of his character, but I absolutely hated him. I got heated reading what this man had to say and what he did throughout the book. That's my sour part. He felt so evil and like he was the guy casted as the villain in the story. Raising your own kid to hate your Grandma for writing a book and becoming successful? There is more to it than that in the book, but that's what we learn early on in the story. If this was a television show, I feel like we'd get more info than what we got...
But there's so much more that's great in this book. I personally just don't like abusive adults and parents because of my own past. The friendships in this book are top tier and made me so happy and smile. The witty lines in the book also made it buckets of fun. Ryder's is adorable and is an honest child throughout. Romance? Fabulous. The entire story is rock solid and one of my new fave rom coms.
Five out of five stars!
Iris Thorne is the granddaughter of famous fantasy writer M.E. Thorne. Her grandmother wrote one of the most famous fantasy novels, Elementia, which is essentially a female empowerment version of Lord of the Rings. Iris hasn't been a fan of Elementia because her Father wouldn't let her be one, and suddenly she's dropped off in the middle of Ireland with her young brother, Ryder, where they are filming the movie adaptation of her Grandma's famous work. But things won't be easy for anyone in this production - Hollywood and the film industry is hard. There will be hurdles, but there will also be a potential romance once Iris meets the incredibly cute Eamon O'Brien.
I adore this book! It's sugary sweet and a complete nerd-gasm. Throw in the female and LGBTQ+ empowerment that is riddled throughout, and you've got one heck of a read. It's medium to fast paced, easy to read, and addicting. I managed to binge this book in two nights and I have no regrets. This is the kind of rom-com I've been wanting for a while, and I'm so glad I stumbled upon this book. I'll definitely be picking up more books by Cory McCarthy ASAP.
There are some really tough parts about this book. Iris' parents are not... stellar. Honestly, her Mother is essentially out of the picture even though she's technically present in her children's lives and her Father is not a nice guy. I'd argue he's abusive. We only see small parts of his character, but I absolutely hated him. I got heated reading what this man had to say and what he did throughout the book. That's my sour part. He felt so evil and like he was the guy casted as the villain in the story. Raising your own kid to hate your Grandma for writing a book and becoming successful? There is more to it than that in the book, but that's what we learn early on in the story. If this was a television show, I feel like we'd get more info than what we got...
But there's so much more that's great in this book. I personally just don't like abusive adults and parents because of my own past. The friendships in this book are top tier and made me so happy and smile. The witty lines in the book also made it buckets of fun. Ryder's is adorable and is an honest child throughout. Romance? Fabulous. The entire story is rock solid and one of my new fave rom coms.
Five out of five stars!
samrushingbooks's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a cute book, and I got so emotionally invested in the story. Seriously...I can honestly say that I ended up being late getting back to work after break because I was reading and forgot to pay attention to the time.
lyoungthebookfae's review
5.0
I loved this book. It was such a fun one to read, and I loved ALL the characters! It was amazing to see how the story progressed, and how the characters all grew. Definitely going on my Highly Recommends list!
nicolemhewitt's review
5.0
3.5/5 Stars
This book will bring out the fandom geek in just about anybody. I loved the fact that Iris couldn't care less about her grandmother's famous series, even while the world was busy adoring it. She'd spent her life avoiding her grandmother's fans, especially after an incident with an overeager and disturbed one nearly ended in tragedy. I will say that Iris's negativity was a little hard to handle at first---it took me a while to warm up to her, even though I understood why she had a bit of a chip on her shoulder. As Iris was won over by the movie (and, especially, by the people involved), though, she started to win me over as well. I loved the relationships she formed, especially the director of the movie, who ended up being a real role model. And then, of course, there's Eamon, who has to be one of the sweetest love interests on the planet. By about the middle of the book, I was completely invested, and I was rooting for Iris all the way. The book explores family dynamics, friendships, and themes of finding yourself when the world wants to define you, all very worthy themes. I had a few little quibbles with details (why would fans be so obsessed with the author's grandkids? Is this a thing?). But it definitely won me over in the end. Overall, I give the book 3.5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
This book will bring out the fandom geek in just about anybody. I loved the fact that Iris couldn't care less about her grandmother's famous series, even while the world was busy adoring it. She'd spent her life avoiding her grandmother's fans, especially after an incident with an overeager and disturbed one nearly ended in tragedy. I will say that Iris's negativity was a little hard to handle at first---it took me a while to warm up to her, even though I understood why she had a bit of a chip on her shoulder. As Iris was won over by the movie (and, especially, by the people involved), though, she started to win me over as well. I loved the relationships she formed, especially the director of the movie, who ended up being a real role model. And then, of course, there's Eamon, who has to be one of the sweetest love interests on the planet. By about the middle of the book, I was completely invested, and I was rooting for Iris all the way. The book explores family dynamics, friendships, and themes of finding yourself when the world wants to define you, all very worthy themes. I had a few little quibbles with details (why would fans be so obsessed with the author's grandkids? Is this a thing?). But it definitely won me over in the end. Overall, I give the book 3.5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
katie_chandler's review against another edition
3.0
“Don’t discount your bravery just because it doesn’t always pay off.”
Best line in the book.
Tolerable description of teen angst episodes. Not that tantrum drama and cliche statements are ever tolerable, but the author openly (though infrequently) pokes at her own literary faux pas and throws in a few moments of real wisdom. On the plus side, this young-love plot takes place internationally... on a movie set... starring an Irish elf (of sorts), and my former teenage self would have swooned thinking of the accented heartthrob. And I like the snarky chapter titles.
On the downside, some language and no one previously that shy becomes unshy in two chapters.
Best line in the book.
Tolerable description of teen angst episodes. Not that tantrum drama and cliche statements are ever tolerable, but the author openly (though infrequently) pokes at her own literary faux pas and throws in a few moments of real wisdom. On the plus side, this young-love plot takes place internationally... on a movie set... starring an Irish elf (of sorts), and my former teenage self would have swooned thinking of the accented heartthrob. And I like the snarky chapter titles.
On the downside, some language and no one previously that shy becomes unshy in two chapters.
retiredlibrarylady's review against another edition
4.0
This book has a really slow start and many unbelievable elements. HOWEVER, as the story unfolds, it grabs the reader and won't let go. Lots of information about the film industry is interspersed with a story about a dysfunctional family. Once into it, it becomes difficult to stop reading. The reader is rooting for Cate, the director, to make it work, and for Iris to find her way to make peace in her family. The feminism gets overwhelming at times, but the story wins out. A lot of kissing and wanting, but nothing too graphic. Still, probably more appropriate for high school than middle.
alongreader's review against another edition
5.0
A sweet, funny, quick read. I loved watching Iris slowly find her strength and her bravery. I liked the characters, too ... where can I find an Eamonn of my own? The Irish setting was lovely without being overdone or stereotypical, which is unusual for this kind of book.
My only problem? I still don't know what happened at the end of the trilogy!
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for allowing me to read it.
My only problem? I still don't know what happened at the end of the trilogy!
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for allowing me to read it.