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booklychootney's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
shyleenreads's review against another edition
3.0
First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for providing me with an ARC.
This book has the classic "bad boy nice girl" trope. The book follows Guillermo Lozano who is trying to have a fresh start after getting into some trouble. Him and his family move to a new town and he starts working at the local community center where he meets Regan. Regan is someone who appears to have a "perfect" life and has her future all figured out. However, she's tired of doing what everyone expects of her and not getting to make her own decisions.
I really liked how Guillermo was someone who made mistakes in his past but doesn't let that define his future. I think it was nice to see his character development throughout the book. I also really liked how Regan was able to stand up for herself and make the choices she wanted. The way that this book portrayed "troubled" characters was nice. They were seen as individuals overcoming difficult circumstances rather than bad kids. I also really liked the latinx representation in this book. I found all the spanish dialogue and cultural references to be extremely accurate. I also appreciated how Guillermo was someone who wasn't afraid to show emotion. The romance in this book was very slowburn but I didn't mind as I felt it wasn"t meant to be the focus of the story.
My one critique would be that the plot, especially in the first half, was slow at times. Other than that I would definitely recommend!
This book has the classic "bad boy nice girl" trope. The book follows Guillermo Lozano who is trying to have a fresh start after getting into some trouble. Him and his family move to a new town and he starts working at the local community center where he meets Regan. Regan is someone who appears to have a "perfect" life and has her future all figured out. However, she's tired of doing what everyone expects of her and not getting to make her own decisions.
I really liked how Guillermo was someone who made mistakes in his past but doesn't let that define his future. I think it was nice to see his character development throughout the book. I also really liked how Regan was able to stand up for herself and make the choices she wanted. The way that this book portrayed "troubled" characters was nice. They were seen as individuals overcoming difficult circumstances rather than bad kids. I also really liked the latinx representation in this book. I found all the spanish dialogue and cultural references to be extremely accurate. I also appreciated how Guillermo was someone who wasn't afraid to show emotion. The romance in this book was very slowburn but I didn't mind as I felt it wasn"t meant to be the focus of the story.
My one critique would be that the plot, especially in the first half, was slow at times. Other than that I would definitely recommend!
kayladaila's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Right Side of Reckless is a very sweet romance featuring Guillermo, a reforming delinquent, and Regan, a high achieving people pleaser. This book read easily, even though many of the characters were frustratingly obtuse. Guillermo and Regans’ story was captivating, and Whitney D. Grandison wrote them with so much chemistry. I kept expecting these characters’ lives to implode, and it never happened. This is going to be the first book in a series set in the same high school, and I look forward to reading the rest!
The Right Side of Reckless is a very sweet romance featuring Guillermo, a reforming delinquent, and Regan, a high achieving people pleaser. This book read easily, even though many of the characters were frustratingly obtuse. Guillermo and Regans’ story was captivating, and Whitney D. Grandison wrote them with so much chemistry. I kept expecting these characters’ lives to implode, and it never happened. This is going to be the first book in a series set in the same high school, and I look forward to reading the rest!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, and Gaslighting
Minor: Drug use, Cursing, Sexual content, and Stalking
kaylanoellereads's review against another edition
2.0
Overall it was cute more like a 2.5 stars and I liked how it was centered around people of color but I just felt like the female character was portrayed in a way that I did not enjoy and I like the middle dragged on way too long of her suffering through an unhappy relationship
kattiah21's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.5
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review*
The Right Side of Reckless follows our two main characters, there's Guillermo and Reagan. The former is the reckless type, ready to fight, and stands up to people who pick on people he cares about. Reagan is the opposite: a goody-two-shoes just trying to live up to her father's standards while trying to have her own choices. Of course, they aren't allowed to be together.
This was amazing, holy shit. The characters were so thought out and well-rounded. The side characters were not there just to drive the main characters' actions. The romance was slow-burn and adorable.
I find many reviewers complaining about the length; however, I felt that these characters needed to be fleshed out, and having 413 pages was just the right length to do so.
Would I read it again? Absolutely. Would I recommend it to everyone? Yes. Why did I not give it five stars? Because it's not quite a favorite book of all time, but one I supremely enjoyed.
The Right Side of Reckless follows our two main characters, there's Guillermo and Reagan. The former is the reckless type, ready to fight, and stands up to people who pick on people he cares about. Reagan is the opposite: a goody-two-shoes just trying to live up to her father's standards while trying to have her own choices. Of course, they aren't allowed to be together.
This was amazing, holy shit. The characters were so thought out and well-rounded. The side characters were not there just to drive the main characters' actions. The romance was slow-burn and adorable.
I find many reviewers complaining about the length; however, I felt that these characters needed to be fleshed out, and having 413 pages was just the right length to do so.
Would I read it again? Absolutely. Would I recommend it to everyone? Yes. Why did I not give it five stars? Because it's not quite a favorite book of all time, but one I supremely enjoyed.
ellothere's review against another edition
2.0
Personally, this book took me quite long to finish, especially for a contemporary novel.
The premise was simple and it was mainly about a boy's path to redemption in his life after one incident that had led his family having to move to start anew, and a girl who's very dissatisfied in her life. Simply put, they help each other, despite there being obligations from both their lives, such as pressure from family and friends, to stay away.
With that said, the plot was a little too flat for me. I found myself struggling to find the right place to stop and continue reading, and I found the plot to be predictable and dull.
Were the characters relatable? Yes. I just found that they could have been greater if the plot had served more in their character development, and that it didn't just occupy the last 15% of the book.
Overall, light-read, forbidden romance, dog rescues, and appreciation of Hip-hop and R&B music.
The premise was simple and it was mainly about a boy's path to redemption in his life after one incident that had led his family having to move to start anew, and a girl who's very dissatisfied in her life. Simply put, they help each other, despite there being obligations from both their lives, such as pressure from family and friends, to stay away.
With that said, the plot was a little too flat for me. I found myself struggling to find the right place to stop and continue reading, and I found the plot to be predictable and dull.
Were the characters relatable? Yes. I just found that they could have been greater if the plot had served more in their character development, and that it didn't just occupy the last 15% of the book.
Overall, light-read, forbidden romance, dog rescues, and appreciation of Hip-hop and R&B music.
megangold's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Okay, so I didn't hate this book, and there were definitely some pros, so I can see why some people liked it. But I don't think it was for me.
It was a fairly easy read and a nice way to pass the time. The romance is cute, the last chunk of the book was great, and the character's solid. This book really plays on the good girl/bad boy trope, if you're into that, so aspects of that were fun. Of the two main characters, I think Guillermo was the most developed and was the most fun to read.
Just overall, the whole thing fell flat to me. The plot just felt like events happening in succession, rather than the characters facing hardships and driving the story forward. Nothing seemed really connected and it took a while to get from point A to B to the rest of the book. Some things felt so out of place, too. I don't want to be too spoilery, but an example would be the part with the dogs later in the story. It was pretty weird to me.
Not a lot of plot works okay, though, when you have great characters. Like I said, I enjoyed Guillermo, but not enough to make up for the lack of plot. And Reagan didn't do it for me, either. She spends most of the book afraid to stand up for herself to her family or her current boyfriend Troy, and while her finally getting a backbone was fairly satisfying, it definitely took too long to get there. And while the light romance between Reagan and Guillermo was cute, it was hard to fully get on board. I appreciate that the author didn't have Reagan full-on cheat on Troy, but they did stay together for a huge percentage of the book—and yikes.
Anyway, I don't want to just drag this book forever, so the last thing I'll say is that I didn't love the writing style, either. It felt like a draft, honestly, and not a completed, publishable manuscript. Some parts were messy and the language just super awkward and others told too much, instead of showed.
Overall, I didn't hate reading this book, but I definitely didn't love it, either.
**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.**
It was a fairly easy read and a nice way to pass the time. The romance is cute, the last chunk of the book was great, and the character's solid. This book really plays on the good girl/bad boy trope, if you're into that, so aspects of that were fun. Of the two main characters, I think Guillermo was the most developed and was the most fun to read.
Just overall, the whole thing fell flat to me. The plot just felt like events happening in succession, rather than the characters facing hardships and driving the story forward. Nothing seemed really connected and it took a while to get from point A to B to the rest of the book. Some things felt so out of place, too. I don't want to be too spoilery, but an example would be the part with the dogs later in the story. It was pretty weird to me.
Not a lot of plot works okay, though, when you have great characters. Like I said, I enjoyed Guillermo, but not enough to make up for the lack of plot. And Reagan didn't do it for me, either. She spends most of the book afraid to stand up for herself to her family or her current boyfriend Troy, and while her finally getting a backbone was fairly satisfying, it definitely took too long to get there. And while the light romance between Reagan and Guillermo was cute, it was hard to fully get on board. I appreciate that the author didn't have Reagan full-on cheat on Troy, but they did stay together for a huge percentage of the book—and yikes.
Anyway, I don't want to just drag this book forever, so the last thing I'll say is that I didn't love the writing style, either. It felt like a draft, honestly, and not a completed, publishable manuscript. Some parts were messy and the language just super awkward and others told too much, instead of showed.
Overall, I didn't hate reading this book, but I definitely didn't love it, either.
**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.**
vicktorea's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
super cute!!
Big thank you to the author for sending me an ARC!
I really liked this a lot! Whitney D. Grandison has a way of crafting characters that touch your soul and melt your heart; by the end of the book you feel like you know them - they’re part of your squad, they’re your friend, your family.
I loved Guillermo; talk about growth and development! Guillermo was never a “bad” kid. He was a good kid who got into trouble and needed the chance to turn things around and, with the right help, that’s exactly what happened. I loved this part of his storyline and I was so proud of him!!
Regan was sweet and I liked her but haaated how much of a pushover she was! So many times I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and be like “sis, take control! Speak up for yourself and do what makes you happy!”. Regan was another character who developed well but the end of the book, even though it took some time for her to get there. …but when she did, oof! I was proud of her too! She put everyone she needed to in their place!
Some drawbacks for me was the whole virginity thing surrounding Regan and her boyfriend. I liked how it was eventually handled but the subject of virginity in general just irks me (to me it’s a concept contrived by the patriarchy to make women feel bad about wanting to have sex, but it’s not that way for everyone, and to some, it is special and I could appreciate that for Regan - I also kinda liked how she wasn’t about to sleep with her bf just because he was her bf…she wasn’t feeling that good D energy from him and was like “mmm nah” 🤣).
My other drawback was the length of the novel. It was waaay too long for me; but I’d read an ARC and I think the final copy had been edited down significantly which would allow for a more compelling read.
Overall I think this was a super cute story with lots of great lessons about how “the choices we make change the path that we take” [- Zayn Malik, Golden] 💛
Big thank you to the author for sending me an ARC!
I really liked this a lot! Whitney D. Grandison has a way of crafting characters that touch your soul and melt your heart; by the end of the book you feel like you know them - they’re part of your squad, they’re your friend, your family.
I loved Guillermo; talk about growth and development! Guillermo was never a “bad” kid. He was a good kid who got into trouble and needed the chance to turn things around and, with the right help, that’s exactly what happened. I loved this part of his storyline and I was so proud of him!!
Regan was sweet and I liked her but haaated how much of a pushover she was! So many times I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and be like “sis, take control! Speak up for yourself and do what makes you happy!”. Regan was another character who developed well but the end of the book, even though it took some time for her to get there. …but when she did, oof! I was proud of her too! She put everyone she needed to in their place!
Some drawbacks for me was the whole virginity thing surrounding Regan and her boyfriend. I liked how it was eventually handled but the subject of virginity in general just irks me (to me it’s a concept contrived by the patriarchy to make women feel bad about wanting to have sex, but it’s not that way for everyone, and to some, it is special and I could appreciate that for Regan - I also kinda liked how she wasn’t about to sleep with her bf just because he was her bf…she wasn’t feeling that good D energy from him and was like “mmm nah” 🤣).
My other drawback was the length of the novel. It was waaay too long for me; but I’d read an ARC and I think the final copy had been edited down significantly which would allow for a more compelling read.
Overall I think this was a super cute story with lots of great lessons about how “the choices we make change the path that we take” [- Zayn Malik, Golden] 💛
popthebutterfly's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Right Side of Reckless
Author: Whitney D. Grandison
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Black MC and Mexican American MC
Recommended For...: contemporary, young adult readers
Publication Date: July 13, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (sexual content, romance, slight violence, crime mentioned, misogyny, some language)
Explanation of CWs: The main male character (Guillermo) is on probation for some crimes he committed. He has anger issues and there is some violence mentioned in according to him. Regan (main female character) has a boyfriend who is misogynistic and pressures her for sex.
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 416
Synopsis: They were supposed to ignore each other and respect that fine line between them…
Guillermo Lozano is getting a fresh start. New town, new school, and no more reckless behavior. He’s done his time, and now he needs to right his wrongs. But when his work at the local community center throws him into the path of the one girl who is off-limits, friendship sparks…and maybe more.
Regan London needs a fresh perspective. The pressure to stay in her “perfect” relationship and be the good girl all the time has worn her down. But when the walls start to cave in and she finds unexpected understanding from the boy her parents warned about, she can’t ignore her feelings anymore.
The disapproval is instant. Being together might just get Guillermo sent away. But when it comes to the heart, sometimes you have to break the rules and be a little bit reckless…
Review: For the most part I really liked this book. It was intriguing to me and immediately drew me into the story. The world building was well done and the writing was well done as well.
However, this book kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I didn’t like the inconsistencies with how the author talked about the juvie kids and with what I’ve seen in real life. The book fell into the good girl/bad boy/good girl fixes bad boy trope and that just doesn’t vibe with me as many kids are in the juvenile system because of trauma and other outside influences. Rarely did I see a kid in the program who was there because they liked to commit crime, at least 90% of the time it was because of home issues, relationship issues, or some other extreme issues that were outside of the kids hands. I also thought that the characters weren’t well developed and the side characters weren’t easily distinguishable from others. The book also dragged pacing wise and the book doesn’t have a good ratio of cute moments to angst/will they won’t they. Finally, I didn’t like the romance in this book and I thought it was weird. Regan is in a committed relationship with someone else until about 80% of the book through and then after she finds out her boyfriend cheated on her she kisses Guillermo. That doesn’t send the right message to kids and it makes the main love interest feel more like a rebound than anything else.
Verdict: It’s ok, could be wrote a bit better.
Book: The Right Side of Reckless
Author: Whitney D. Grandison
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Black MC and Mexican American MC
Recommended For...: contemporary, young adult readers
Publication Date: July 13, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (sexual content, romance, slight violence, crime mentioned, misogyny, some language)
Explanation of CWs: The main male character (Guillermo) is on probation for some crimes he committed. He has anger issues and there is some violence mentioned in according to him. Regan (main female character) has a boyfriend who is misogynistic and pressures her for sex.
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 416
Synopsis: They were supposed to ignore each other and respect that fine line between them…
Guillermo Lozano is getting a fresh start. New town, new school, and no more reckless behavior. He’s done his time, and now he needs to right his wrongs. But when his work at the local community center throws him into the path of the one girl who is off-limits, friendship sparks…and maybe more.
Regan London needs a fresh perspective. The pressure to stay in her “perfect” relationship and be the good girl all the time has worn her down. But when the walls start to cave in and she finds unexpected understanding from the boy her parents warned about, she can’t ignore her feelings anymore.
The disapproval is instant. Being together might just get Guillermo sent away. But when it comes to the heart, sometimes you have to break the rules and be a little bit reckless…
Review: For the most part I really liked this book. It was intriguing to me and immediately drew me into the story. The world building was well done and the writing was well done as well.
However, this book kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I didn’t like the inconsistencies with how the author talked about the juvie kids and with what I’ve seen in real life. The book fell into the good girl/bad boy/good girl fixes bad boy trope and that just doesn’t vibe with me as many kids are in the juvenile system because of trauma and other outside influences. Rarely did I see a kid in the program who was there because they liked to commit crime, at least 90% of the time it was because of home issues, relationship issues, or some other extreme issues that were outside of the kids hands. I also thought that the characters weren’t well developed and the side characters weren’t easily distinguishable from others. The book also dragged pacing wise and the book doesn’t have a good ratio of cute moments to angst/will they won’t they. Finally, I didn’t like the romance in this book and I thought it was weird. Regan is in a committed relationship with someone else until about 80% of the book through and then after she finds out her boyfriend cheated on her she kisses Guillermo. That doesn’t send the right message to kids and it makes the main love interest feel more like a rebound than anything else.
Verdict: It’s ok, could be wrote a bit better.
cakt1991's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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
4.0
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Right Side of Reckless is a true bad boy/good girl romance, and not in the just “he’s a bit of a punk or a rebel” kind of way a lot of books with this trope are, but one who really faced consequences for his behavior.
Guillermo has recently come out of juvie, and he’s reckoning with his past and the way people treat him because of it. And ultimately, I really liked his character, and the subtle statement the book was making, especially in relation to him as a POC “bad boy” who made a few mistakes that resulted in his current situation and the way the typical white “bad boy” heroes seem to get away with a lot more in the grand scheme of things. Guillermo really works on changing himself and putting himself on a better path, showing it can be possible for others like him, even if the odds can be stacked against them.
Regan, as the “good girl” half of the equation, is also intriguing in her own right. She’s very much a people pleaser out of insecurity, willing to bend to her father’s and other expectations. I could relate to her so much, and I also could understand what she saw in Guillermo, as well as what he saw in her.
Grandison walks a fine line with this one in having the two of them bond over the course of the book while Regan is still in an emotionally unsatisfying relationship with another boy, Troy, which she cannot bring herself to end. I appreciated that in the end there was no cheating, while also navigating the complex situation of Regan’s emotions and her working up the courage to finally end her and Troy’s relationship. It may have taken a bit longer than I’d have liked, but it felt realistic for her character.
This book was enjoyable, and I like the way it subverted some common tropes by adding diversity and unpacking them in the process. If you’re looking for a YA contemporary that is mostly lighthearted but also tackles serious topics, you’ll enjoy this one.