Scan barcode
kaygol's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
psliz's review against another edition
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
5.0
luxury. affordable. industry standard. (iykyk)
banter + slow burn + sarcasm + relatable characters = 5 stars
the friendships are just as important as the romance and i love that!
banter + slow burn + sarcasm + relatable characters = 5 stars
the friendships are just as important as the romance and i love that!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Chronic illness
Minor: Alcohol and Pregnancy
cutepatzie's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
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? No
4.75
I love that it's showing that girls also can like video games and how it works fandom culture. That was very refreshing to see. Also, I like the main character's development, the "growing up" that she been through in the entire story. It's a good book to see that grow its maybe not pleasant but a good thing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Chronic illness
iloverune's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Chronic illness
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
3.5
NB: Original review written in 2020.
You know how they say never judge a book by its cover?
Well, I kind of did with this one - at least at first. Because I mean, c’mon that cover is amazing (scroll back up to look at it if you want). But then I read the summary and I was like, hmm, that actually sounds interesting. So, I picked it up.
This book is all about relationships. Romantic relationships, yes, but also relationships with your siblings, with your parents, and – what I think is the focus of this book – friendship.
The beating heart of Foolish Hearts (pun fully intended) are how it depicts the life of friendships. How they begin. How they change over time and negotiate bumps. How – occasionally – they can become something more.
And speaking of the “something more”, can I gush a little about the love interest here, Gideon Prewitt (for all you Potter fans that are still out there, I know this is the name of one of Molly Weasley’s elder brothers – and Gideon does too). At first, he came off as a little too quirky (I mean, the guy has a Tumblr blog dedicated to all the weird stuff he does) but slowly that outer layer is peeled away, revealing a person who is yes, quirky, but also sweet, caring and thoughtful. Put it this way – if I can’t have Peeta Mellark as my fictional boyfriend, Gideon Prewitt makes a very worthy runner-up.
On another note, I also saw parallels with the last book I read, I was born for this, in the way it depicts an important part of so many of our lives – you guessed it, fandom! Like Angel and Juliet are fans of boy band The Ark in I was born for this, Iris Huang, one of the key characters in Foolish Hearts, is obsessed with a boy band called This Is Our Now (TION). Her favourite member of the band is Kenji – she even has a cardboard cut-out figure of him in her private bathroom! The main character, Claudia, is a major fan of a MMORPG called Battle Quest, like Final Fantasy and other such games. In fact, the game is somewhat of a family affair, as her older sister, brother-in-law, and actual brother also play – as does her oldest and best friend, Zoe.
I would say this is quite a light read in a lot of ways, however there are some darker themes touched on. Claudia goes to an all-girls school, and the various ways in which girls can be cruel and competitive with each other is explored in some depth. Another character – I won’t say who – also has epilepsy, and this is discussed briefly. Claudia has been hurt badly by a previous boyfriend, and therefore has serious trust issues. She’s by no means flawless, she can be mean and thoughtless at times, but I suspect this is more to do with a fear she has of allowing herself to be vulnerable.
In all, if you’re looking for a story with lots of fluff but with a darker edge, this is your book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Mental illness
Moderate: Cursing, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual content, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Cliquey behaviour, one incident of gaslighting, bullying, descriptions of epilepsy, mention of premature birth, absentee parents, mentions of a pediatric rehab facility that a couple of characters volunteer in, descriptions of various characters' wealth, mental illness. Coarse language, and jokes of a sexual nature.
More...