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drtx_bwt's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Racism
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Ableism and Racial slurs
readingwithtrey's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
Love & Resistance follows the story of Olivia (Livvy) Chang as she starts at her fourth new school. Heavily introverted, she has a detailed plan of how to fly below the radar on the social ladder. When she calls out the “Queen Bee,” Mitzi, for making racist comments, her invisibility falls, and Mitzi and her minions set out to make high school life difficult for Livvy. Livvy is soon introduced to the “Nerd Net.” A group of self-proclaimed nerds who decide it’s time for someone to break the “social norms” of high school.
This was a cute, relatable coming of age story. My heart broke for Livvy. High school can be so tough, and when you’re in the thick of it, it’s so hard to remember that it’s only 4 years of your whole life and there are so much better things coming. My absolute favorite part of the story revolved around the Nerd Net, more specifically, Peter. When they set out to shake up the social ladder and encourage people to step outside of the status quo and to stand up to bullies, Peter was often the voice of reason. Understandably, Livvy wanted Mitzi to feel just as bad as she did, but Peter often reminded the group that despite the everything that Mitzi and her followers did, they were still human beings, and the actions of the Nerd Net should never cause anyone hurt or humiliation. At the end of the day, you reach and possibly change more hearts with grace.
There was only one thing that I didn’t love and that was the reference to the American Revolution as an example of resistance. It didn’t work for me as I feel that that are much more impactful and meaningful examples of resistance throughout history that could have been used.
Read if you enjoy:
- Coming of age stories
- Teen drama
- Young Love
Thank you to BookSparks for my gifted copy of this book!
This was a cute, relatable coming of age story. My heart broke for Livvy. High school can be so tough, and when you’re in the thick of it, it’s so hard to remember that it’s only 4 years of your whole life and there are so much better things coming. My absolute favorite part of the story revolved around the Nerd Net, more specifically, Peter. When they set out to shake up the social ladder and encourage people to step outside of the status quo and to stand up to bullies, Peter was often the voice of reason. Understandably, Livvy wanted Mitzi to feel just as bad as she did, but Peter often reminded the group that despite the everything that Mitzi and her followers did, they were still human beings, and the actions of the Nerd Net should never cause anyone hurt or humiliation. At the end of the day, you reach and possibly change more hearts with grace.
There was only one thing that I didn’t love and that was the reference to the American Revolution as an example of resistance. It didn’t work for me as I feel that that are much more impactful and meaningful examples of resistance throughout history that could have been used.
Read if you enjoy:
- Coming of age stories
- Teen drama
- Young Love
Thank you to BookSparks for my gifted copy of this book!
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs, Bullying, and Racism
bitesizedbeet's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.0
This coming of age story has so much heart. It could be a balm for anyone who’s been bullied and a way to reimagine what the past could have been.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Toxic friendship
mishale1's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-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? No
3.0
This is an interesting story. I enjoyed the characters and the plot but felt it went on a little too long. I read the ebook and I haven’t actually checked the page count yet. Some of it felt repetitive regardless, that’s my only constructive criticism.
Olivia has moved to many different schools because of her mom’s career and she has learned to keep her head down and just try to blend in. She tries so so hard to do this that she’s actually trying not to even talk to anyone. That broke my heart because I kept thinking, how can Livvy ever make friends if her mission in life is just to ignore everyone. Poor thing. She came to this method of dealing with school because she had been badly bullied at a previous school. Now she just wants to blend in, graduate and let life begin in college.
But things start to change when she sits next to Griff at lunchtime. She thinks because he’s so quiet too that they’ll continue to sit there quietly together.
But they start to bond, even in their silence.
Then they get paired together for a project in class.
Not long after arriving at the new school, Livvy breaks her own rule: she challenges the popular girl.
Now, I’ve always thought that it’s interesting how *sometimes* “popular” doesn’t actually translate to “liked”. Mitzi rules the school, people envy her, but I don’t think they like her. It’s more like they fear her.
When Livvy upsets Mitzi, Mitzi launches an attack on Livvy. And what do they attack about her? That she’s Asian.
Griff notices what’s happened to Livvy and he pulls her into his secret, underground society: Nerd Net.
The Nerd Net keeps their eyes peeled for injustices at school and does what they can to right the wrongs anonymously.
But when Livvy joins forces with the Nerd Net it’s like it unleashes a reaction to every Livvy has just held her head down before. This time she wants to start a Revolution and fix the problems for herself and everyone else.
Olivia has moved to many different schools because of her mom’s career and she has learned to keep her head down and just try to blend in. She tries so so hard to do this that she’s actually trying not to even talk to anyone. That broke my heart because I kept thinking, how can Livvy ever make friends if her mission in life is just to ignore everyone. Poor thing. She came to this method of dealing with school because she had been badly bullied at a previous school. Now she just wants to blend in, graduate and let life begin in college.
But things start to change when she sits next to Griff at lunchtime. She thinks because he’s so quiet too that they’ll continue to sit there quietly together.
But they start to bond, even in their silence.
Then they get paired together for a project in class.
Not long after arriving at the new school, Livvy breaks her own rule: she challenges the popular girl.
Now, I’ve always thought that it’s interesting how *sometimes* “popular” doesn’t actually translate to “liked”. Mitzi rules the school, people envy her, but I don’t think they like her. It’s more like they fear her.
When Livvy upsets Mitzi, Mitzi launches an attack on Livvy. And what do they attack about her? That she’s Asian.
Griff notices what’s happened to Livvy and he pulls her into his secret, underground society: Nerd Net.
The Nerd Net keeps their eyes peeled for injustices at school and does what they can to right the wrongs anonymously.
But when Livvy joins forces with the Nerd Net it’s like it unleashes a reaction to every Livvy has just held her head down before. This time she wants to start a Revolution and fix the problems for herself and everyone else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racial slurs, and Racism
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