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goosemixtapes's review
4.0
this is a great book! there are a lot of great things about this book! here are some of them!
>the second person POV. i'm biased, because i love second person and i love when books get weird with their formatting (i think we should all get weird with formatting about ten times more often. i actually would have loved to see more retrospective narration in this), but it genuinely works here regardless of my bias: the entire book is directed from grace to gavin, the boyfriend who becomes her prison, & addressing him as "you" gives the whole thing this specific and sometimes twisted sort of intimacy. you can never really forget how close they are, even when you hate him, because neither can she.
>heather demetrios says in her afterward that this book is drawn from a relationship she had, and that shows, because it bleeds authenticity. particularly in the way it escalates. gavin has some red flags at the start, but that's also compounded by the reader's meta knowledge of the plot; the relationship genuinely seems to start as something sweet and equal, and while i never PERSONALLY found gavin attractive (again, meta knowledge + i'm a lesbian), i understand why grace does, and i understand why she holds off for so long about realizing that her relationship with gavin has become a slowly tightening vise. (and oh man, when it tightens. the way i went from "huh that's a red flag" to "holy shit jesus christ fuck this guy" was like watching a car crash.)
>grace's relationship with her family, particularly her mother, isn't center stage, but it fills in a perfect background - her stepfather and mother are both abusive, though in very different ways, and it's VERY apparent why grace is so vulnerable to the sort of manipulation gavin pulls: when he's the only person to show her kindness, when he plays off her self-esteem issues, when being with him instead of at home is at least the lesser of two evils. also, her mother is written with so much... nuance? depth? compassion isn't exactly the right word; you aren't on grace's mother's side and you definitely aren't supposed to be. but she's still made a three-dimensional character instead of The Stereotypical Evil Mother, and that also makes it all ten times as painful, because she keeps choosing to hurt her daughter.
>i really like that grace doesn't just break up with gavin and immediately get into a relationship with someone else. this is a book that prioritizes friendship (particularly grace’s friendship with her female friends*) & taking care of yourself, especially when you’ve spent so much of your life putting yourself last, and i find that very important.
*also one of her best friends is a lesbian and there is never once a moment of any of the straight girls worrying about her being predatory or smthn. they have sleepovers they go swimming etc etc and it's just a non-issue and i know this is an INCREDIBLY low bar but it made me happy anyway as a lesbian with problems and complexes in my brain
>and as much as i hate to water books down to “Something Important TM,” i DO think that it’s important that a YA book like this exists. not to get on my soapbox, but man. sometimes YA romance is bad. to have a book like this, that marks out what an unhealthy relationship looks like, sympathizes with its main character and doesn't blame her for her situation but also makes it clear that it's critical she get out of the relationship, strikes me as Very Important, and not in a tired trite way.
>just a good book in general. would have read it faster if not for The Tasks
>the second person POV. i'm biased, because i love second person and i love when books get weird with their formatting (i think we should all get weird with formatting about ten times more often. i actually would have loved to see more retrospective narration in this), but it genuinely works here regardless of my bias: the entire book is directed from grace to gavin, the boyfriend who becomes her prison, & addressing him as "you" gives the whole thing this specific and sometimes twisted sort of intimacy. you can never really forget how close they are, even when you hate him, because neither can she.
>heather demetrios says in her afterward that this book is drawn from a relationship she had, and that shows, because it bleeds authenticity. particularly in the way it escalates. gavin has some red flags at the start, but that's also compounded by the reader's meta knowledge of the plot; the relationship genuinely seems to start as something sweet and equal, and while i never PERSONALLY found gavin attractive (again, meta knowledge + i'm a lesbian), i understand why grace does, and i understand why she holds off for so long about realizing that her relationship with gavin has become a slowly tightening vise. (and oh man, when it tightens. the way i went from "huh that's a red flag" to "holy shit jesus christ fuck this guy" was like watching a car crash.)
>grace's relationship with her family, particularly her mother, isn't center stage, but it fills in a perfect background - her stepfather and mother are both abusive, though in very different ways, and it's VERY apparent why grace is so vulnerable to the sort of manipulation gavin pulls: when he's the only person to show her kindness, when he plays off her self-esteem issues, when being with him instead of at home is at least the lesser of two evils. also, her mother is written with so much... nuance? depth? compassion isn't exactly the right word; you aren't on grace's mother's side and you definitely aren't supposed to be. but she's still made a three-dimensional character instead of The Stereotypical Evil Mother, and that also makes it all ten times as painful, because she keeps choosing to hurt her daughter.
>i really like that grace doesn't just break up with gavin and immediately get into a relationship with someone else.
Spoiler
i was worried it might happen with gideon - of course a healthy relationship is something grace deserves and is allowed to want, but going from one guy to the next feels precarious. but demetrios handles this perfectly; the situation with gideon ended unexpectedly but realistically (she hurts him without intending to, he has a different girlfriend at the end of the book & seems happy with her, THEY STAY FRIENDS AND ARE STILL KIND TO EACH OTHER), and grace acknowledges that she needs time to just exist by herself!*also one of her best friends is a lesbian and there is never once a moment of any of the straight girls worrying about her being predatory or smthn. they have sleepovers they go swimming etc etc and it's just a non-issue and i know this is an INCREDIBLY low bar but it made me happy anyway as a lesbian with problems and complexes in my brain
>and as much as i hate to water books down to “Something Important TM,” i DO think that it’s important that a YA book like this exists. not to get on my soapbox, but man. sometimes YA romance is bad. to have a book like this, that marks out what an unhealthy relationship looks like, sympathizes with its main character and doesn't blame her for her situation but also makes it clear that it's critical she get out of the relationship, strikes me as Very Important, and not in a tired trite way.
>just a good book in general. would have read it faster if not for The Tasks
allibruns's review
5.0
I gave you my heart on a silver fucking platter and you ate it, piece by bloody piece.
I know I have to fight for this. It wouldn't be my life if I didn't have to go into battle for what I wanted. The universe doesn't hook me up. It doesn't give a damn about me. I'm lucky if it puts a sword in my hand before throwing me out into the shit
There is so much I want to say about this book. I want to say how could I not love a book that opens quoting Lady Gaga and then references Rent on page 1. I want to tell you that this is one of my favorite books of 2017. I want to tell you Heather Demetrios wrote one of my all time favorite reads [b:I'll Meet You There|21469068|I'll Meet You There|Heather Demetrios|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1403897439s/21469068.jpg|24893471] so I'm obviously a fan but mostly I want to say that this book is a work of art. I loved the writing style, it's as though this story is all being told to Gavin in the present, he is referred to as you throughout the book as is told in the past tense. The reader knows from the very beginning that the relationship turns abusive but you can't help falling in love with Gavin alongside Grace. Grace has been primed for this relationship. She's had a long standing crush on Gavin and basically worships him. Her home life is terrible; it's suffocating, abusive, controlling and damaging. I spent a majority of this book hating Grace's mom but there were moments where I felt so very sorry for her.
I understood how Grace easily slipped into this relationship with Gavin. There were times he was perfect and times that he was her savior. I could understand how she could put with all of the bad times to get those perfect moments that she desperately craved. There were times I wanted Gavin to get the help he clearly needs so that this relationship would work. There were times I was horrified and scared for her and wanted her to get far away from Gavin.
This book utterly broke my heart. It was a powerful read.
sim_96's review
4.0
I loved this book. I loved the writing, the characters, the plot, the freaking cover. Everything.
You fall in love with Gavin along with Grace, you root for the high school couple, you want them to be together, you never think that Gavin could do what Grace says. And then it starts, slowly but surely he starts to crack away at her, at you the reader, he controls the world and when you realise this along with Grace it is too late.
Demetrios relates a world that sends you spinning, that makes you reread what happened because you can hardly believe it all.
I loved this book because in the end she didn't choose any guy, she chose herself and that is the most beautiful thing ever.
You fall in love with Gavin along with Grace, you root for the high school couple, you want them to be together, you never think that Gavin could do what Grace says. And then it starts, slowly but surely he starts to crack away at her, at you the reader, he controls the world and when you realise this along with Grace it is too late.
Demetrios relates a world that sends you spinning, that makes you reread what happened because you can hardly believe it all.
I loved this book because in the end she didn't choose any guy, she chose herself and that is the most beautiful thing ever.
wellingtonestatelibrary's review
5.0
Reading this book is like watching a train wreck. It's uncomfortable, it's horrifying, you know what's going to happen but you can't look away. That's how I felt anyway. Having experienced some of the things detailed in this book, I think the author did an amazing job at portraying a toxic relationship. While it has mature content and a lot of language, I think it's a book that many young adults/new adults should read, even just to recognize potentially abusive behaviour. For many young women, especially those who aren't raised in healthy, communicative families, it can be easy to mistake possessiveness with new love. The author has done a fantastic job at portraying the confusion and guilt a young person can experience while in a relationship with a manipulative, lonely, mentally ill boyfriend (or girlfriend).
shemyshines98's review
5.0
When I grabbed Bad Romance at the library, I was rushing and it was totally random. I just read the summary of it, and I just grabbed it. I didn't have expectations other than it better be good. Lol. Bruuhhhhhhh, it is everything. I am so happy I grabbed it off that library shelf. I really don't want to turn it in the library, like I just want to keep it forever. Bad Romance is about Grace and her tumultuous relationship with Gavin, the boy she dreams of. It started out all beautiful and innocent, and then the rollercoaster came. Grace comes from a very difficult family. It's all crazy. What I love most about this book is how Grace is narrating it. That is what really got me into loving this book because for many years I never read a book that could do that, as in have the character narrate it so realistically and honestly. As you get more into the book, she gives hints of how the relationship will go sour.
I truly love this book and I can't express it enough. I couldn't put it down. It goes to show that, self-love is the best love. When you realize your worth, you won't settle for shit. You won't settle for anything less than what you truly deserve. I felt that if Grace practiced that, she probably would have left Gavin more sooner. This book also confirmed my sentiments of being alone and enjoying myself and my youth, than waste it on being miserable with someone I so call love. It's not worth it. Life is way to short. Period. If this book alone can teach me so much, I'm pretty sure it can do the same for the next person. I recommend this book to everyone! This book is definitely on my #1 Top Five lists.
I truly love this book and I can't express it enough. I couldn't put it down. It goes to show that, self-love is the best love. When you realize your worth, you won't settle for shit. You won't settle for anything less than what you truly deserve. I felt that if Grace practiced that, she probably would have left Gavin more sooner. This book also confirmed my sentiments of being alone and enjoying myself and my youth, than waste it on being miserable with someone I so call love. It's not worth it. Life is way to short. Period. If this book alone can teach me so much, I'm pretty sure it can do the same for the next person. I recommend this book to everyone! This book is definitely on my #1 Top Five lists.
kristid's review
5.0
So I stayed up late and got up early to finish this. It was a difficult read but therapeutic in a way. It’s incredibly well written and my heart just aches at it all. Love yourself.
samaaka's review
5.0
Though staying with Gavin was harder than anything with his insecurity, doubtful attitude yet Grace loved him so much to never leave him. She did not want to leave him. So much happened. So much. And how did she cure her and her crazy lover? How did she fight with herself to be herself? How can you unlove someone whom you love so much? Could Grace do it? Did she fix Gavin? That you can know once you read the whole novel.
samihaaaka's review
5.0
Though staying with Gavin was harder than anything with his insecurity, doubtful attitude yet Grace loved him so much to never leave him. She did not want to leave him. So much happened. So much. And how did she cure her and her crazy lover? How did she fight with herself to be herself? How can you unlove someone whom you love so much? Could Grace do it? Did she fix Gavin? That you can know once you read the whole novel.