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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
challenging
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
love is love and you are mine-dolly valentine
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
The first third of the book was torturous specifically because nowhere on the jacket does it say it’s a prose novel about seventh graders, so there’s that. I’m not rating because not enjoying reading this as an adult doesn’t mean I don’t think it isn’t an incredibly important book for kids to have access to.
emotional
hopeful
fast-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
it’s a bit of a cliche to say “i really needed this book in middle school,” but, uh, yeah. that.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, this was a miss for me.
It was a trial to read not because of the style alone as I have read and enjoyed books like this in the past. The voices of the girls weren't distinct which made it hard to tell who was talking. It's cringey and problematic in its presentation of queer characters. There are outings and homophobia in this book so if that is a trigger for you then please know that this occurs in the book.
Unfortunately, this was a miss for me.
It was a trial to read not because of the style alone as I have read and enjoyed books like this in the past. The voices of the girls weren't distinct which made it hard to tell who was talking. It's cringey and problematic in its presentation of queer characters. There are outings and homophobia in this book so if that is a trigger for you then please know that this occurs in the book.
Book Review
Title: Redwood and Ponytail
Author: K. A. Holt
Genre: YA/Romance/LGBT/Verse
Rating: *****
Review: So all I knew about Redwood and Ponytail before it was sent to me is that it is an f/f romance novel written in verse. After reading Vanilla by Billy Merrell which is an m/m romance novel written in verse which completely tore my heart out I was excited to jump into this one. Redwood and Ponytail follows Tam and Kate, Tam sees Kate as a stereotypical cheerleader and Kate sees Tam as another tall jock, but they will eventually get together and I can’t wait to go on this journey with them. The small “Now” section at the beginning of the novel leaves with so many questions about what the hell happened to cause the reactions from the girls especially Kate, but before we get too much we jump to “Before”.
We learn that Kate is a cheerleader that isn’t exactly happy with her life, while Tam seems so comfortable in her own skin and when they meet for the first time there is an instant connection between them. We also have 3 narrators in the form of Alex, Alyx and Alexx who add a really creepy vibe to the whole story especially after the beginning section of the story. Kate nicknamed Ponytail seems really intrigued by Tam who she has nicknamed Redwood because of her height. I liked the fact the girls are in the same social circle as they are both athletes – Kate a cheerleader and Tam a volleyball player – but have never interacted before. Before long, this pair are fast friends, but I have a feeling things are going to change very soon.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, we are beginning to see how alike Tam and Kate are. Both have expectations to live up to although Tam has some freedom while Kate is rigidly controlled by her mother, both girls are never truly known as people see what they want to see, and they have to fit into their given roles, or they will be replaced by another. Both girls have found a true friend in the other, but confusing feelings are starting to rise in both of them. Tam allows Kate to be herself and give her the freedom she desperately craves while Kate gives Tam focus and draws her into something she doesn’t know how to react to.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, we are seeing drastic differences in the way the girls were brought up and how their reactions are partly ingrained from this upbringing. Other people are also beginning to take notice of the relationship between Tam and Kate even though both girls don’t think of it as anything other than friendship. I really liked the dynamics between Tam and Kate’s mothers and how they are so different from each other but also seem to be the type of mother the other desires. Tam’s mother is loud and out there were at times Tam craves quiet solitude with is exactly what Kate’s mother is, while Kate likes the freedom Tam’s mother gives her daughter which is exactly what she wants.
As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, both girls are becoming the centre of each other’s world distracting them from the responsibilities that have been given to them and while this isn’t a good thing at all, it is what they need in that moment. While they still haven’t defined themselves, it is painfully clear that the girls are transitioning from friends to something more than friends. The supporting characters such as parents, friends and siblings also play a major roles in showing what is happening around the girls and how others are seeing them even if they aren’t aware of it themselves in the moment.
As we cross the halfway mark in the novel, Tam realises that she is feeling a lot more for Kate than a friend should and she doesn’t really have the tools to process these feelings productively so she ends up getting really mad at Kate but she has two faces; the cheerleader – always smiling and giggling with the squad and her Kate – the goofy, shy girl. Kate is trying to figure out how to bring her two lives together in a way that satisfies everyone but what she hasn’t realised is that this is impossible. It is impossible to completely satisfy everyone all the time and sooner or later she is going to have to make a choice or being who she wants to be or being who her mother wants her to be.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, both girls are trying to figure out who they really are which means drifting apart for a little while, but I am wondering whether or not they will be together again or will they decide they want different things for life, to be different people. Hearing the girls innermost thoughts is unsettling as you want to push them in the “right” direction, but we also know they have to make those decisions for themselves or they may regret them later in life. So far, this novel is so realistic like it could be happening to me or some other girl I know which is actually a really hard thing to capture in literature and Holt has done it perfectly.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, everything explodes and so many things become so clear to both girls. I can’t talk at all about the ending without giving away so much about what happens between the girls. All I can say is it made me laugh, it made me cry and everything in between.
Title: Redwood and Ponytail
Author: K. A. Holt
Genre: YA/Romance/LGBT/Verse
Rating: *****
Review: So all I knew about Redwood and Ponytail before it was sent to me is that it is an f/f romance novel written in verse. After reading Vanilla by Billy Merrell which is an m/m romance novel written in verse which completely tore my heart out I was excited to jump into this one. Redwood and Ponytail follows Tam and Kate, Tam sees Kate as a stereotypical cheerleader and Kate sees Tam as another tall jock, but they will eventually get together and I can’t wait to go on this journey with them. The small “Now” section at the beginning of the novel leaves with so many questions about what the hell happened to cause the reactions from the girls especially Kate, but before we get too much we jump to “Before”.
We learn that Kate is a cheerleader that isn’t exactly happy with her life, while Tam seems so comfortable in her own skin and when they meet for the first time there is an instant connection between them. We also have 3 narrators in the form of Alex, Alyx and Alexx who add a really creepy vibe to the whole story especially after the beginning section of the story. Kate nicknamed Ponytail seems really intrigued by Tam who she has nicknamed Redwood because of her height. I liked the fact the girls are in the same social circle as they are both athletes – Kate a cheerleader and Tam a volleyball player – but have never interacted before. Before long, this pair are fast friends, but I have a feeling things are going to change very soon.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, we are beginning to see how alike Tam and Kate are. Both have expectations to live up to although Tam has some freedom while Kate is rigidly controlled by her mother, both girls are never truly known as people see what they want to see, and they have to fit into their given roles, or they will be replaced by another. Both girls have found a true friend in the other, but confusing feelings are starting to rise in both of them. Tam allows Kate to be herself and give her the freedom she desperately craves while Kate gives Tam focus and draws her into something she doesn’t know how to react to.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, we are seeing drastic differences in the way the girls were brought up and how their reactions are partly ingrained from this upbringing. Other people are also beginning to take notice of the relationship between Tam and Kate even though both girls don’t think of it as anything other than friendship. I really liked the dynamics between Tam and Kate’s mothers and how they are so different from each other but also seem to be the type of mother the other desires. Tam’s mother is loud and out there were at times Tam craves quiet solitude with is exactly what Kate’s mother is, while Kate likes the freedom Tam’s mother gives her daughter which is exactly what she wants.
As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, both girls are becoming the centre of each other’s world distracting them from the responsibilities that have been given to them and while this isn’t a good thing at all, it is what they need in that moment. While they still haven’t defined themselves, it is painfully clear that the girls are transitioning from friends to something more than friends. The supporting characters such as parents, friends and siblings also play a major roles in showing what is happening around the girls and how others are seeing them even if they aren’t aware of it themselves in the moment.
As we cross the halfway mark in the novel, Tam realises that she is feeling a lot more for Kate than a friend should and she doesn’t really have the tools to process these feelings productively so she ends up getting really mad at Kate but she has two faces; the cheerleader – always smiling and giggling with the squad and her Kate – the goofy, shy girl. Kate is trying to figure out how to bring her two lives together in a way that satisfies everyone but what she hasn’t realised is that this is impossible. It is impossible to completely satisfy everyone all the time and sooner or later she is going to have to make a choice or being who she wants to be or being who her mother wants her to be.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, both girls are trying to figure out who they really are which means drifting apart for a little while, but I am wondering whether or not they will be together again or will they decide they want different things for life, to be different people. Hearing the girls innermost thoughts is unsettling as you want to push them in the “right” direction, but we also know they have to make those decisions for themselves or they may regret them later in life. So far, this novel is so realistic like it could be happening to me or some other girl I know which is actually a really hard thing to capture in literature and Holt has done it perfectly.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, everything explodes and so many things become so clear to both girls. I can’t talk at all about the ending without giving away so much about what happens between the girls. All I can say is it made me laugh, it made me cry and everything in between.
I love K.A. Holt, and this book was no exception. This is a wonderful story of two very different girls coming to terms with new and different feelings. A great middle-grade LGBTQ book, and told in verse to boot.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia
I read an eARC of this novel through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest review.
I generally adore verse novels, so when I came across a sapphic verse novel in a blogpost by Dahlia Adler, I immediately knew I wanted to read it. So I was very excited when I saw I was able to read the eARC already. And while I did mostly enjoy this novel, I have somewhat mixed feelings about it.
Let me start off by saying I think this middlegrade novel is amazing for the target audience: a verse novel for kids about two girls questioning their sexuality and falling in love? YES!
I really loved the writing style as well. It was fairly simplistic, so it won't be too difficult for middlegraders to follow, but it was beautifully written as well. I especially loved the addition of an actual choir, just like in ancient Greek poems!
It's the story in itself I'm a little conflicted about though, because while I liked the characters, I didn't feel like they were distinctive enough a lot of the time. And Kate seemed to be a lot more fleshed out as a character than Tam was, even though both of them are main characters. Because of this, the story didn't resonate with me as much as I hoped it would.
Rep: questioning/lesbian main characters, f/f romance, elderly lesbian couple.
CWs: (internalized) homophobia
I generally adore verse novels, so when I came across a sapphic verse novel in a blogpost by Dahlia Adler, I immediately knew I wanted to read it. So I was very excited when I saw I was able to read the eARC already. And while I did mostly enjoy this novel, I have somewhat mixed feelings about it.
Let me start off by saying I think this middlegrade novel is amazing for the target audience: a verse novel for kids about two girls questioning their sexuality and falling in love? YES!
I really loved the writing style as well. It was fairly simplistic, so it won't be too difficult for middlegraders to follow, but it was beautifully written as well. I especially loved the addition of an actual choir, just like in ancient Greek poems!
It's the story in itself I'm a little conflicted about though, because while I liked the characters, I didn't feel like they were distinctive enough a lot of the time. And Kate seemed to be a lot more fleshed out as a character than Tam was, even though both of them are main characters. Because of this, the story didn't resonate with me as much as I hoped it would.
Rep: questioning/lesbian main characters, f/f romance, elderly lesbian couple.
CWs: (internalized) homophobia
In verse. I listened to on audio. Would be a good book for a teenager struggling with their sexuality.