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adequateanja's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Very cute!
glitterbritta's review against another edition
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.0
just_a_city_gorl's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
- I really like this so far. I’m loving the fic and comic references and I really like Elsie so far.
- I like Ada a lot, and I’m starting to also like Joan a lot as well. Ritika is cool and I like her dad but I’m iffy on her mum and Po Po. Fuck Leo, oh my god, the manipulative asshole.
- I really like Elsie and Joan and I hope they end up together. I’m not seeing enough of Ada to ship her with Elsie properly. I also really like Ritika.
- I really like the whole Eden Recoiling thing, and just everything about it and the fanfics and edits.
- I think her uncle is gay, and that’s why he’s not being talked about and why he didn’t go the funeral.
- I was correct, obviously.
- I fucking loved this. So much. Oh my god. 5 stars immediately. I loved it so much. I loved it.
- I was fucking twirling my hair and kicking my feet and giggling at this shit.
- I love Elsie. I love Joan. I love Ritika. I love Felix and everybody else. I love everything. I love it. I love this.
- So yeah.
mairielle's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.0
ippoddity's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
anapthine's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
4.0
jaybelzebabe's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
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? N/A
5.0
axel_p's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
this was the story that i needed at the moment.
Content Warnings
Minor: Biphobia, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Dysphoria
elliereadsss's review against another edition
hopeful
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? No
3.5
This YA contemporary really stands out in the genre and had so much going for it I'm not sure where to start! It's a childhood-friends-to-lovers summer romance entwined in a light mystery with complex family relationships, rooted in fandom culture. So if any of that appeals to you, this one might be right up your alley!
We're following our protagonist Elsie, who has recently completed her A Levels and is looking forward to a long summer. However, we soon realise this might not be the relaxing summer Elsie is hoping for- her po po who the family haven't seen in years is is coming to stay, her best friend Joan who moved to Hong Kong seven years ago and promptly ghosted her is back in town, and she is still grappling with an unrequited crush on long time internet friend Ada. Elsie decides to try and win the affections of Ada by reuniting Ada's grandmother with a long lost lover, but in the process ends up discovering hidden depths about herself and her loved ones.
I really liked Elsie as a character, she has spent so may of her teenage years feeling lonely and has found solace in her favourite comic series and, by extension, her online bestie Ada. I felt like I could really understand how Elsie has felt the past few years, despite only seeing her in the present day, and so it was really nice to see her come out of her shell and discover herself through the course of this book. She gets a weekend job in a comic book shop which was a nice addition to the story, there was so much going on this plot but I didn't feel confused or overwhelmed once which I think is a sign of a talented author.
Elsie has known she is bisexual for years but seems to still be coming to terms with that part of herself, especially as she hasn't yet felt able to come out to her family. Whilst I would say the story is rooted in friendship, Elsie's family is definitely still at the forefront. We see Elsie come to terms with the fact that she is now an adult and so is learning some of the family 'secrets' that have been kept from her, in a way which I think is relatable to many young people. And, without spoiling anything, I like how the LGBT themes of the book become unexpectedly intertwined with this complex family dynamic.
Elsie's friendship with Joan is another really strong point of the book. The two were best friends in primary school, but Joan then moved back to Hong Kong and Elsie hasn't heard from her since. I liked how Joan's reappearance helped Elsie reconsider her relationship with herself as a bisexual woman and I, as a reader, learned a lot from Joan about attitudes towards LGBT and 'tomboy' girls in Hong Kong.
Along with Ada and Ritika, Elsie's core group of friends really blurs the lines between romance and friendship in this book, in a way which I think is realistic of many teenage experiences. There's a fun storyline of them trying to uncover a woman from Ada's grandmother's past, which provides many opportunities for these romances and friendships to be explored. I liked the discussions of how the girls were struggling with these emotions, and equally liked the ending which I thought was very satisfying in wrapping these up.
One more thing that I appreciated about this book was Elsie's past relationship and how that has impacted her. She has an ex boyfriend who was a bit older than her, and mistreated her in a way which she didn't recognise at the time. She has internalised a lot of the trauma this gave her, and we can see how this has impacted her perspective on love and relationships. It was a beautiful moment when she opened up about this, and I'm glad it has been tackled in a book for young readers as I think it is something so many face but don't talk about.
I listened to the audiobook for this one which made the fandom aspects and online relationship even more fun- there were sound effects to remind me when a conversation was happening over text, and I think listening to it helped me feel even more like I was in Elsie's head and therefore understand her and the story better.
Whilst there was clearly a lot to love about this book, I did ultimately only give it a 3.5 star. This was because, whilst I appreciated the characters at a surface value and recognise their value, I didn't;t find myself feeling much for them or feeling particularly attached to the story. This could be because this book is written for a younger audience than myself, but I feel like it's largely because of the way the characters communicated which felt quite unrealistic and mechanical. This sadly meant I didn't care for them all the much, and if I'm going to love a book like this one then it is important for me to love the characters too.
Overall, whilst this wasn't a favourite for me, I think it is a valuable addition to the UKYA genre and will mean a lot to so many people. The storyline had a lot going on without being confusing and the characters were well developed- I recommend giving it a go, particularly if you enjoy authors like Alice Oseman or Ciara Smyth!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an audiobook copy of this title!
We're following our protagonist Elsie, who has recently completed her A Levels and is looking forward to a long summer. However, we soon realise this might not be the relaxing summer Elsie is hoping for- her po po who the family haven't seen in years is is coming to stay, her best friend Joan who moved to Hong Kong seven years ago and promptly ghosted her is back in town, and she is still grappling with an unrequited crush on long time internet friend Ada. Elsie decides to try and win the affections of Ada by reuniting Ada's grandmother with a long lost lover, but in the process ends up discovering hidden depths about herself and her loved ones.
I really liked Elsie as a character, she has spent so may of her teenage years feeling lonely and has found solace in her favourite comic series and, by extension, her online bestie Ada. I felt like I could really understand how Elsie has felt the past few years, despite only seeing her in the present day, and so it was really nice to see her come out of her shell and discover herself through the course of this book. She gets a weekend job in a comic book shop which was a nice addition to the story, there was so much going on this plot but I didn't feel confused or overwhelmed once which I think is a sign of a talented author.
Elsie has known she is bisexual for years but seems to still be coming to terms with that part of herself, especially as she hasn't yet felt able to come out to her family. Whilst I would say the story is rooted in friendship, Elsie's family is definitely still at the forefront. We see Elsie come to terms with the fact that she is now an adult and so is learning some of the family 'secrets' that have been kept from her, in a way which I think is relatable to many young people. And, without spoiling anything, I like how the LGBT themes of the book become unexpectedly intertwined with this complex family dynamic.
Elsie's friendship with Joan is another really strong point of the book. The two were best friends in primary school, but Joan then moved back to Hong Kong and Elsie hasn't heard from her since. I liked how Joan's reappearance helped Elsie reconsider her relationship with herself as a bisexual woman and I, as a reader, learned a lot from Joan about attitudes towards LGBT and 'tomboy' girls in Hong Kong.
Along with Ada and Ritika, Elsie's core group of friends really blurs the lines between romance and friendship in this book, in a way which I think is realistic of many teenage experiences. There's a fun storyline of them trying to uncover a woman from Ada's grandmother's past, which provides many opportunities for these romances and friendships to be explored. I liked the discussions of how the girls were struggling with these emotions, and equally liked the ending which I thought was very satisfying in wrapping these up.
One more thing that I appreciated about this book was Elsie's past relationship and how that has impacted her. She has an ex boyfriend who was a bit older than her, and mistreated her in a way which she didn't recognise at the time. She has internalised a lot of the trauma this gave her, and we can see how this has impacted her perspective on love and relationships. It was a beautiful moment when she opened up about this, and I'm glad it has been tackled in a book for young readers as I think it is something so many face but don't talk about.
I listened to the audiobook for this one which made the fandom aspects and online relationship even more fun- there were sound effects to remind me when a conversation was happening over text, and I think listening to it helped me feel even more like I was in Elsie's head and therefore understand her and the story better.
Whilst there was clearly a lot to love about this book, I did ultimately only give it a 3.5 star. This was because, whilst I appreciated the characters at a surface value and recognise their value, I didn't;t find myself feeling much for them or feeling particularly attached to the story. This could be because this book is written for a younger audience than myself, but I feel like it's largely because of the way the characters communicated which felt quite unrealistic and mechanical. This sadly meant I didn't care for them all the much, and if I'm going to love a book like this one then it is important for me to love the characters too.
Overall, whilst this wasn't a favourite for me, I think it is a valuable addition to the UKYA genre and will mean a lot to so many people. The storyline had a lot going on without being confusing and the characters were well developed- I recommend giving it a go, particularly if you enjoy authors like Alice Oseman or Ciara Smyth!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an audiobook copy of this title!
ellianderjoy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.75