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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this one grew on me very quickly. I started it, thought it was ok, then suddenly it was night time and I was done, sitting there on my bed with a big smile on my face.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
emotional
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
I really enjoyed Amanda DeWitt’s first book, and I was excited for whatever she’d write next. And while Wren Martin Ruins it All was a bit of a pivot from her first book, I’m a sucker for a romcom with ace rep, and this delivered.
Wren is a pretty relatable protagonist. While I didn’t have the same reasoning, I totally wish I had people like him in student government in middle and high school pushing for less of a romantic emphasis on dances and other events like that, as there’s a lot of stigma and pressure. But he also has a lot of growing and evolving to do, as do many teens, and I loved going on that journey with him. There were some points where his narration was a little cringe, like his tendency toward making lists, and there were a few times where it would feel like he’d sarcastically say something, like “I hate Halloween,” and then a line or two later, be like “Nope, just kidding, I love it,” which kind of got on my nerves a bit. But overall, the conversational tone works for the story and perfectly captures who Wren is as a person.
I’ve been loving seeing how the rivals/enemies-in-real-life, friends/lovers-online trope has been resurrected in modern YA romcoms, and this one was no exception. It was pretty obvious the direction it was taking, but it didn’t make the reveal any less worth waiting for. And while there are times when I question the protagonist’s intelligence, not realizing who they’re talking to, there was enough here for me to suspend my disbelief. And his relationship with his love interest evolves in real life as his online relationship develops, so the reveal is more sweet than shocking.
This was such a sweet read, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for a YA romcom with an asexual lead.
emotional
funny
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