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clp34's review
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kvreadsandrecs's review
3.0
Meh. Rushed love story but classic Cotugno ending. Good springtime read.
indigoivee's review against another edition
4.0
This is a heartfelt and inciting exploration of friendship, fame, and the pursuit of dreams. Set in the vibrant backdrop of Orlando, The author takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of emotions as we follow the journey of best friends Dana and Olivia. When they enter a singing competition with hopes of escaping their small-town lives, they soon find themselves thrust into the spotlight of fame and fortune. But as their dreams begin to come true, they must navigate the complexities of their relationship and the pressures of stardom.
The authour’s writing is electric, drawing readers into the glittering world of showbiz with vivid descriptions and authentic characters. Dana and Olivia's bond is palpable, and their struggles and triumphs will resonate deeply with readers. As the story unfolds, it skillfully explores themes of identity, ambition, and the sacrifices we make for those we love. Their friendship is strong and true, the kind you wish you had and envy from the outside, but as the band begins to form and dreams are within their reach, that friendship is tested.
Not to mention the romance between Dana and one of the boy’s from the other band. It’s so sweet and pure, an attraction and love like that cannot be faked. And while Dana’s summer didn’t go exactly as planned, I do believe this was still the best story ever.
It is a captivating and thought-provoking read that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. With its thrilling plot twists and heartfelt moments, it delivers a story that is both exciting and emotionally resonant. Whether you're a fan of music, romance, or coming-of-age stories, "Fireworks" is sure to leave you breathless and wanting more.
Favourite quote: “But even after everything, my fate wasn’t mine to decide.”
The authour’s writing is electric, drawing readers into the glittering world of showbiz with vivid descriptions and authentic characters. Dana and Olivia's bond is palpable, and their struggles and triumphs will resonate deeply with readers. As the story unfolds, it skillfully explores themes of identity, ambition, and the sacrifices we make for those we love. Their friendship is strong and true, the kind you wish you had and envy from the outside, but as the band begins to form and dreams are within their reach, that friendship is tested.
Not to mention the romance between Dana and one of the boy’s from the other band. It’s so sweet and pure, an attraction and love like that cannot be faked. And while Dana’s summer didn’t go exactly as planned, I do believe this was still the best story ever.
It is a captivating and thought-provoking read that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. With its thrilling plot twists and heartfelt moments, it delivers a story that is both exciting and emotionally resonant. Whether you're a fan of music, romance, or coming-of-age stories, "Fireworks" is sure to leave you breathless and wanting more.
Favourite quote: “But even after everything, my fate wasn’t mine to decide.”
pixiepages's review
3.0
Dana and Olivia are best friends. Dana is a nobody that lives with her alcoholic mom. Olivia has everything she wants and her mom is so amazing that she pretty much took Dana in when her mom isn’t there. Olivia has an audition to be in a girl band. She drags Dana with her so she can have all the support…. But what happens when Dana also gets the part. Will Olivia, her “best friend” be happy for her or jealous. This book covered so much like show biz, eating disorders, friendship, backtabing, betrayal, and love. I didn’t like the ending, it seemed like it was too rushed but overall it was a good book. This was an esy summer read.
rachcannoli's review
3.0
When I started this I thought it would be at the lowest a 4-star read. I love the way Katie Cotugno writes these already told stories in a fresh context with grounded, flawed characters. This was no different, she takes a Dream-like concept but makes it relatable and realistic in a coming of age, friendship tale. But I just can’t get behind this ending. It’s a similar vague, bittersweet ending like how 99 days ended, but the difference was that book got a precious sequel full of the closure I needed and this book seems to not be going in that direction. Dana seems to have learned by the end, for the most part, but I still feel like so much is missing and she didn’t get the ending I wanted for her, I’m just dissatisfied is all. It’s a good book, I still recommend for the journey, but I’m not quite there with the ending.
khochenberger's review
2.0
the ending made me so mad that i regret reading it, and the epilogue just made you madder i’m so mad i read this book
bookswithbit's review
2.0
Okay. I usually enjoy contemporaries. But for some reason, this book frustrated me more than I enjoyed it. Mostly because the main character has serious self esteem issues that remind me of me. But also because after the first 40 pages I was tired of her self loathing attitude. She picked fights with everyone who was trying to support her, and it was annoying.
Now I realize that this is YA, and MC is 18, but that doesn't change how I feel about it. I relate to YA a lot more than I relate to books written for people in their twenties. So age definitely isn't a factor.
Aside from the fact that I wanted to smack the MC throughout the entire book, the storyline was intriguing. I liked the concept, and I think it was executed pretty well. It kept me on my toes. But there wasn't a lot of interaction with other characters aside from the MC and a few important roles to the story, and when we did get interaction with other characters, it was dry.
The love interest was cute in the end, but at first it pissed me off majorly.
It's set in the 90s, and while there were a few mentions of telephone chords and the Jackson 5, it honestly could have easily been set in present day. So the 90s thing was pretty vague.
The ending was kinda rushed. It felt like it wasn't finished yet.
There's brief mention of eating disorders, but its very vague and brushed off. There's also a scene with sexual assault, and actually I think that was actually one of the scenes where the MC didn't annoy me. She handled it well.
Overall, I think this book had a lot of potential, but it didn't reach quite far enough. I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it, but if you like drama, it's definitely full of that.
If you like the concept of musicians, singing, romance, I'd say give this book a try, but also check out Open Road Summer by Emery Lord. [bc:Open Road Summer|17978160|Open Road Summer|Emery Lord|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480112353s/17978160.jpg|21880142]
Now I realize that this is YA, and MC is 18, but that doesn't change how I feel about it. I relate to YA a lot more than I relate to books written for people in their twenties. So age definitely isn't a factor.
Aside from the fact that I wanted to smack the MC throughout the entire book, the storyline was intriguing. I liked the concept, and I think it was executed pretty well. It kept me on my toes. But there wasn't a lot of interaction with other characters aside from the MC and a few important roles to the story, and when we did get interaction with other characters, it was dry.
The love interest was cute in the end, but at first it pissed me off majorly.
It's set in the 90s, and while there were a few mentions of telephone chords and the Jackson 5, it honestly could have easily been set in present day. So the 90s thing was pretty vague.
The ending was kinda rushed. It felt like it wasn't finished yet.
There's brief mention of eating disorders, but its very vague and brushed off. There's also a scene with sexual assault, and actually I think that was actually one of the scenes where the MC didn't annoy me. She handled it well.
Overall, I think this book had a lot of potential, but it didn't reach quite far enough. I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it, but if you like drama, it's definitely full of that.
If you like the concept of musicians, singing, romance, I'd say give this book a try, but also check out Open Road Summer by Emery Lord. [bc:Open Road Summer|17978160|Open Road Summer|Emery Lord|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480112353s/17978160.jpg|21880142]
invisibleminger's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Fireworks es un libro para pasar el rato, el plot es muy predecible, además de que la relación entre Olivia y Dana me hubiese gustado que terminara de otra forma. La verdad yo le veía más química a estas dos como couple que al chico que si era pareja de la prota...no se, no es un libro que me haya disgustado pero ciertamente no es uno que me encante.
grace1994's review
3.0
This was an easy read and engaging enough with a main character I liked quite a bit but I definitely went into this with low expectations (mainly because of the average rating) so my whole approach to this book was very lenient and as a result, a lot of the aspects that annoyed a lot of readers didn't faze me much - but if I had actually expected this to be good I'm sure a lot more would have bothered me lol . Also the 90s/boyband/girlband aspect could have been played up a lot more, as well as the topic of fame, to make it more fun and nostalgic.
3.25/5
3.25/5
jennaclarek's review
2.0
I picked up this audiobook because I had heard great things about this and I wanted a cute fun contemporary for my long roadtrip. Good news - it was cute and fluffy and I did enjoy most of it! Bad news is that I didn't really like the ending and I'm very much sick of the romance in this. I didn't like the main friendship ESPECIALLY because of the ending. Like I am still mad that Olivia just took the tour and disappeared. WHO DOES THAT?!