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yapha's review
4.0
Cece is a junior in high school and a social media influencer with close to a million followers. She lives her life online, showing only a very carefully curated version to the world. When she and her long time girlfriend break up, her whole world shifts -- both in school and online. She slowly pieces her elf together and surprisingly falls in love with Josh. (Cece IDs as Bi.) Josh is the most offline person she has ever met and Cece hides her life online from him. Of course it all comes crashing down around her. Can she pick up the pieces and put herself back together without losing the things that are most important? This was a fun and angsty high school romance with an incredible explanation of what it means to be bisexual and how that is often viewed in the LGBTQ community. Highly recommended for grades 8 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
renatasnacks's review
4.0
This was overall a pretty fun and breezy read! I think a lot of teen readers, like myself, will enjoy the look at the life of an Instagram (the book just calls it "the app") Influencer and the pressures and perks it contains. I think the way CeCe struggles to express herself and her activist values is relatable, and I also think it's great to showcase the backlash a bi teen girl might face from some members of the queer community when she ends up dating a boy, as well as to show her . The middle phase of the book, when CeCe is mid-backlash, might be a little rough for some readers, but it's definitely a romance with a happy ending.
I also really liked that while the book is aware of the ~dark side of social media it ultimately also acknowledges the value of social media friendships and the good effects social media can have as well. I feel like there easily could have been potential for this to be a book where it's about CeCe's new, social-media hating boyfriend convincing her to delete the app and go off the grid or whatever. So yeah, I liked this a lot and I think it'll resonate with a lot of teens too.
Spoiler
triumphantly giving a speech about being bi at a Pride festival and getting a lot of positive feedbackI also really liked that while the book is aware of the ~dark side of social media it ultimately also acknowledges the value of social media friendships and the good effects social media can have as well. I feel like there easily could have been potential for this to be a book where it's about CeCe's new, social-media hating boyfriend convincing her to delete the app and go off the grid or whatever. So yeah, I liked this a lot and I think it'll resonate with a lot of teens too.
lgbtrepinbooks's review
5.0
Trigger Warnings: Parental abandonment, divorce, coming out, break-up, mention of gun violence/mass shooting, gun control, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, lying, biphobia, cyber bullying
Representation: Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Pansexual, adoption
Follow Your Arrow is the story of social media influencer, CeCe and her girlfriend, Silvie. The girls have become internet famous and all of this comes to crashing halt when they break-up. CeCe works to maintain her online status but things become more complicated when she meets new-to-town, musician Josh, who doesn’t like the internet. CeCe and Josh start dating until her secret internet fame is finally revealed. Will they be able to move past this?
This eARC was provided by the publisher via edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Aww this was soo cute! I thoroughly enjoyed the love story and CeCe was surprisingly a lot less annoying than I initially had guessed. I have grown a lot more impatient with teenagers lately plus being a social media influencer, I thought I would hate her but she was actually quite relatable! Her story is far too common in the community and I actually felt like I understand my best friend, who is bi, a bit better now. The story includes healthy conversations about biphobia, social media, and boundaries. I really enjoyed the depth these added to the story.
Overall, this was a great read! The characters are like-able and relatable. The book is easy to read and quick. The story is witty and really hooks you in.
Representation: Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Pansexual, adoption
Follow Your Arrow is the story of social media influencer, CeCe and her girlfriend, Silvie. The girls have become internet famous and all of this comes to crashing halt when they break-up. CeCe works to maintain her online status but things become more complicated when she meets new-to-town, musician Josh, who doesn’t like the internet. CeCe and Josh start dating until her secret internet fame is finally revealed. Will they be able to move past this?
This eARC was provided by the publisher via edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Aww this was soo cute! I thoroughly enjoyed the love story and CeCe was surprisingly a lot less annoying than I initially had guessed. I have grown a lot more impatient with teenagers lately plus being a social media influencer, I thought I would hate her but she was actually quite relatable! Her story is far too common in the community and I actually felt like I understand my best friend, who is bi, a bit better now. The story includes healthy conversations about biphobia, social media, and boundaries. I really enjoyed the depth these added to the story.
Overall, this was a great read! The characters are like-able and relatable. The book is easy to read and quick. The story is witty and really hooks you in.
marynm0128's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
polly_ang's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
fast-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
4.5
quirkybibliophile's review
5.0
Thoughts and Themes: Do you ever read something and think, am I reading my life?!
I don’t even know how to begin talking about this book. I can start by letting you all know that this book felt like I was reading about myself when I was a teenager. It was not only something teenage me needed but also something that current me still needs to hear. At the end, this book felt like a hug that I’ve needed since I came out to my parents as bisexual at 13 years old.
From the beginning of the story as Cece deals with her break up with Sylvie and struggles through that, to the end where she gives such as important speech to thousands of people, I saw myself in this story. I cried in the first few chapters as Cece dealt with her breakup the way that I dealt with the end of my first relationship, and than cheered her on through her confusion of having new feelings for someone else. I smiled and laughed when she mentions coming out at 13 years old, having 2 girlfriends, and is now dating a guy because that was my life.
Cece sharing how her relationship with her dad was turbulent felt so much like seeing my relationship with my dad. I cried for myself in those moments in which her dad said things that I have heard come out of my own dad’s mouth. It felt like a hug when Cece stood up for herself each time against him and walks away from him. I wish I could demand the respect that Cece demands from someone so important to me.
I am going to warn you all because there is a lot of biphobia in this book and those moments were hard to read through. These weren’t things I hadn’t seen before but it still hurts to be reminded that people think this way. The internet’s response to Cece dating a male put all of my fears onto a page, it reminded me of why I am so scared of catching feelings for a cisgender male. It also reminded me of how scared I am for the LGBTQ+ community to perceive me in a “straight relationship” because I don’t want to lose that community based off what they perceive. Cece’s response to this and the response of others on the internet when she stands up for bisexuals really resonated with me.
Characters: Throughout this story you meet several characters but it revolves around Cece’s life and the people in it. Through Cece you meet her ex, Sylvie, her new boyfriend, Josh, her internet family, and her mom.
I really liked how Cece’s relationship with Josh develops organically without the pressure of other’s weighing in. I thought it was nice to see them really getting to know each other and how unfiltered Cece was able to be with him. I did feel bad for both of them when the internet got involved in their relationship because they both were dealing with what it meant for each of them.
I loved how supportive Cece’s mom was of everything that Cece did and how she stepped in whenever she was needed. I loved watching the moments in which they watched television together or when Cece’s mom stepped in to take care of her. Her mom being supportive reminded me of staying in my mom’s bedroom shortly after getting my heart broken and how much I needed her in those moments.
Writing Style: This story is told in first person through the perspective of our main character, Cece. I really liked that we got this story through her perspective and we don’t get to see how anyone else is feeling. I think it was great that we didn’t get Sylvie’s perspective on the breakup beyond what was posted online, and we don’t get to know Josh’s feelings when he isn’t with Cece.
There were some pieces of things on the app included in the story in a different color font which I thought was great to include. I really liked that we got to see these messages from others online and were not just told how Cece feels about it.
I don’t even know how to begin talking about this book. I can start by letting you all know that this book felt like I was reading about myself when I was a teenager. It was not only something teenage me needed but also something that current me still needs to hear. At the end, this book felt like a hug that I’ve needed since I came out to my parents as bisexual at 13 years old.
From the beginning of the story as Cece deals with her break up with Sylvie and struggles through that, to the end where she gives such as important speech to thousands of people, I saw myself in this story. I cried in the first few chapters as Cece dealt with her breakup the way that I dealt with the end of my first relationship, and than cheered her on through her confusion of having new feelings for someone else. I smiled and laughed when she mentions coming out at 13 years old, having 2 girlfriends, and is now dating a guy because that was my life.
Cece sharing how her relationship with her dad was turbulent felt so much like seeing my relationship with my dad. I cried for myself in those moments in which her dad said things that I have heard come out of my own dad’s mouth. It felt like a hug when Cece stood up for herself each time against him and walks away from him. I wish I could demand the respect that Cece demands from someone so important to me.
I am going to warn you all because there is a lot of biphobia in this book and those moments were hard to read through. These weren’t things I hadn’t seen before but it still hurts to be reminded that people think this way. The internet’s response to Cece dating a male put all of my fears onto a page, it reminded me of why I am so scared of catching feelings for a cisgender male. It also reminded me of how scared I am for the LGBTQ+ community to perceive me in a “straight relationship” because I don’t want to lose that community based off what they perceive. Cece’s response to this and the response of others on the internet when she stands up for bisexuals really resonated with me.
Characters: Throughout this story you meet several characters but it revolves around Cece’s life and the people in it. Through Cece you meet her ex, Sylvie, her new boyfriend, Josh, her internet family, and her mom.
I really liked how Cece’s relationship with Josh develops organically without the pressure of other’s weighing in. I thought it was nice to see them really getting to know each other and how unfiltered Cece was able to be with him. I did feel bad for both of them when the internet got involved in their relationship because they both were dealing with what it meant for each of them.
I loved how supportive Cece’s mom was of everything that Cece did and how she stepped in whenever she was needed. I loved watching the moments in which they watched television together or when Cece’s mom stepped in to take care of her. Her mom being supportive reminded me of staying in my mom’s bedroom shortly after getting my heart broken and how much I needed her in those moments.
Writing Style: This story is told in first person through the perspective of our main character, Cece. I really liked that we got this story through her perspective and we don’t get to see how anyone else is feeling. I think it was great that we didn’t get Sylvie’s perspective on the breakup beyond what was posted online, and we don’t get to know Josh’s feelings when he isn’t with Cece.
There were some pieces of things on the app included in the story in a different color font which I thought was great to include. I really liked that we got to see these messages from others online and were not just told how Cece feels about it.
gbaty's review
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
:bihearteyes:
libscote's review
3.0
There were things I really liked about this book. I liked the bisexual representation in the book a lot. The erasure that's so easy (or that you're not "enough" for the queer community) is something that I think a lot of people will relate to. I also liked how Cece explained that for her bisexual didn't mean only two genders existed. I also liked the social media aspects of the book, which I think showed it in both good and bad lights.
I just, for whatever reason, didn't really connect with Cece for some reason. I always felt at a distance during the story. Maybe it was a case of not the right time for me. I would definitely recommend this to other though. It might just be the read you are looking for.
I just, for whatever reason, didn't really connect with Cece for some reason. I always felt at a distance during the story. Maybe it was a case of not the right time for me. I would definitely recommend this to other though. It might just be the read you are looking for.