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jennywithaz's review
YALSA #BFYA2019 nominee; read review here: http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2018/09/21/bfya2019-nominees-round-september-21-edition/
flower_mail's review
1.0
Being a lesbian is NOT the same thing as dating the sibling of your sister's rapist!
sc104906's review
3.0
I received this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Virginia is now in a better place with her body, even when her parents and family still try to bring it down. She has developed a sense of confidence in her life and is ready to take on new life experiences. Even as she attempts to move beyond her old life, by ending a relationship with her best friend Froggy, she is constantly pushed back into the box she used to be in. Virginia is further challenged by the fact that her brother is going through legal proceedings after he was arrested on date rape charges. Virginia is eclipsed again. The only bright spot is a boy Virginia randomly ran into, who sees her and understands her struggles. However, these two lovebirds may have more in common than either could imagine.
I completely missed the fact that this was a second book in a series, whoops. I even read the first book. I am at a weird place with the way body image was tackled in this book. It felt that Virginia’s personal acceptance was tied closely to the romantic relationships in her life. Certain readers may find the treatment of the date rape plotline offensive because at times it felt flippant. I thought it was an interesting concept.
Virginia is now in a better place with her body, even when her parents and family still try to bring it down. She has developed a sense of confidence in her life and is ready to take on new life experiences. Even as she attempts to move beyond her old life, by ending a relationship with her best friend Froggy, she is constantly pushed back into the box she used to be in. Virginia is further challenged by the fact that her brother is going through legal proceedings after he was arrested on date rape charges. Virginia is eclipsed again. The only bright spot is a boy Virginia randomly ran into, who sees her and understands her struggles. However, these two lovebirds may have more in common than either could imagine.
I completely missed the fact that this was a second book in a series, whoops. I even read the first book. I am at a weird place with the way body image was tackled in this book. It felt that Virginia’s personal acceptance was tied closely to the romantic relationships in her life. Certain readers may find the treatment of the date rape plotline offensive because at times it felt flippant. I thought it was an interesting concept.
has_book_will_travel's review
4.0
This book was a lot better than book one. The character, who is pretty stereotyped in the first book really grows into her own in this sequel and it's empowering. There is lots of positive character development as the story progresses. The end left me happy but wanting more.
resslesa's review
5.0
So excellent -as good as the first and picks up right where we left off! I love how Virginia keeps growing as a person and realizing she is great in a very organic way. I also love how she starts challenging her family more and owns herself and her decisions while also taking new risks. Bravo!!
sincerelykiwi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Personally, this one didn’t live up to The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big around Things. The timeline was weird because we went from 2003 to 2018. I wish the author would’ve stayed with the original timeframe because it caused continuity errors for me.
Her parents and her brother were, once again, the focus of this story. At least that’s how it felt. It was realistic in that when SA happens it doesn’t just affect the people involved but everyone else too. With that being said, I thought it was incredibly weird that Virginia, the sibling of the accused, started a romance with the Sebastian, victim’s sibling. I didn’t like that, it was too much.
I may need a third book just to kind of wrap up Virginia’s last couple years of high school.
story_sanctuary's review
4.0
In the opening scene, Virginia is making out with her boyfriend. Because the story starts there, I wasn’t sure what kind of content it would have, but that’s the most explicit scene in the whole book. Mostly it shows her conflicted feelings about her relationship. She feels that, because she’s overweight, she should be grateful to have a boyfriend and shouldn’t risk breaking up with him and being alone forever. But she’s definitely not into the make-out session like she would have been on another day.
I like Virginia. She’s smart and self-contained and independent. I love that she was taking a kick-boxing class! Somehow that made total sense for her, and it was a neat, unusual thing in the story.
Ultimately, The Universe is Expanding and So Am I is about relationships. Virginia’s relationships with her parents, her siblings, her friends, her boyfriend Froggy, and her new friend Sebastian all change through the course of the story. I loved the way that redefining those relationships showed her own personal growth, and that some of the relationships that affected her most, like the tree lady, were ones she might once have dismissed. Fans of The Best Possible Answer by E. Katherine Kottaras should add this one to their reading lists.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I like Virginia. She’s smart and self-contained and independent. I love that she was taking a kick-boxing class! Somehow that made total sense for her, and it was a neat, unusual thing in the story.
Ultimately, The Universe is Expanding and So Am I is about relationships. Virginia’s relationships with her parents, her siblings, her friends, her boyfriend Froggy, and her new friend Sebastian all change through the course of the story. I loved the way that redefining those relationships showed her own personal growth, and that some of the relationships that affected her most, like the tree lady, were ones she might once have dismissed. Fans of The Best Possible Answer by E. Katherine Kottaras should add this one to their reading lists.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
eramhussain's review
3.0
3.5 Stars
I read this just after the first book in the series( The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things ). So I already knew all the characters except one, Sebastian. I loved him. He was so sweet and funny. He is my favorite character from the series.
Virginia is still dealing with her weight, school life and family issues. Her family’s attitudes toward her weight has changed a lot now which was very sudden and I found that very weird.One day she drives the car in case of an emergency and suddenly her family treats her differently.
I loved the conversations between Virginia and Sebastian. They were quirky and fun. and probably for the first time I did not hate the romance side of the book.
The book as well as the ending was very predictable so I could not enjoy the story line much.
I read this just after the first book in the series( The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things ). So I already knew all the characters except one, Sebastian. I loved him. He was so sweet and funny. He is my favorite character from the series.
Virginia is still dealing with her weight, school life and family issues. Her family’s attitudes toward her weight has changed a lot now which was very sudden and I found that very weird.One day she drives the car in case of an emergency and suddenly her family treats her differently.
I loved the conversations between Virginia and Sebastian. They were quirky and fun. and probably for the first time I did not hate the romance side of the book.
The book as well as the ending was very predictable so I could not enjoy the story line much.
chrissireads's review
3.0
The Universe is Expanding and So Am I follows Virginia and her relationships. Virginia isn’t sure she likes her boyfriend Froggy anymore. She has a difficult relationships with her family and then there’s Sebastian… a boy that intrigues her. Virginia’s family are dealing with the repercussions of what her brother Byron did. I don’t want to say what he did in case you haven’t read the first book!
I’m not sure what I make of Virginia as a character. I think she’s relatable to many, for sure. I also like how she’s unashamedly herself. She is confident in her appearance even though she’s criticised by others for being curvier than her peers. However, I feel like she does body shame slimmer people and that’s never okay for me.
I do appreciate that this book covers some very important and sensitive topics. I like that it doesn’t shy away from topics that should definitely be discussed in Young Adult literature. I just wish the book was longer so it could have explored them in more depth.
This book is a fast paced read and it is easy to get through due to some light hearted humour alongside the more serious content.
I’m not sure what I make of Virginia as a character. I think she’s relatable to many, for sure. I also like how she’s unashamedly herself. She is confident in her appearance even though she’s criticised by others for being curvier than her peers. However, I feel like she does body shame slimmer people and that’s never okay for me.
I do appreciate that this book covers some very important and sensitive topics. I like that it doesn’t shy away from topics that should definitely be discussed in Young Adult literature. I just wish the book was longer so it could have explored them in more depth.
This book is a fast paced read and it is easy to get through due to some light hearted humour alongside the more serious content.
kelleycailin's review
5.0
This was an excellent follow up to the original!!! Honestly, I think I liked it better. I’m happy with how things ended up for Virginia, but I definitely wouldn’t mind reading more.