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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!
I really liked the concept of this book and it had a lot of potential to be something great. I really enjoyed the catalyst of the novel and how it took you on a wild ride - I mean, I did not expect to see a story about dog fights or assault and that was a pleasant surprise (nor did I expect her parents to be crazy!!).
Let's start with Johanna (the bestie): she had a storyline which could be further explored. I feel like we got started but then forgot all about her fling with the teacher (that didn't even start). I don't know. I feel like we don't see a lot of the rejection from the teacher and how this affects her. We see that Mare doesn't approve of the whole thing but there are no consequences from the rejection.
I think there was development to see more of Mare's controlling parents because what they do at the end kind of comes as a suprise since her parents seem so... normal. But maybe that's the thing - most people are normal and then go crazy and do things like her parents. I think more of a hint of it, however, would be better as Mare seems to be living a fairly decent life that her parents aren't too controlling of.
I like the relationship between Mare and Sam and the ending between them is EXACTLY what I wanted. The fact that they don't get back together is so realistic and I love reading a book that finally depicts a relationship where the characters need to distance themselves from one another in order to grow. I don't think we see enough of that in YA.
Overall, this was a decent book which made a good read!
I really liked the concept of this book and it had a lot of potential to be something great. I really enjoyed the catalyst of the novel and how it took you on a wild ride - I mean, I did not expect to see a story about dog fights or assault and that was a pleasant surprise (nor did I expect her parents to be crazy!!).
Let's start with Johanna (the bestie): she had a storyline which could be further explored. I feel like we got started but then forgot all about her fling with the teacher (that didn't even start). I don't know. I feel like we don't see a lot of the rejection from the teacher and how this affects her. We see that Mare doesn't approve of the whole thing but there are no consequences from the rejection.
I think there was development to see more of Mare's controlling parents because what they do at the end kind of comes as a suprise since her parents seem so... normal. But maybe that's the thing - most people are normal and then go crazy and do things like her parents. I think more of a hint of it, however, would be better as Mare seems to be living a fairly decent life that her parents aren't too controlling of.
I like the relationship between Mare and Sam and the ending between them is EXACTLY what I wanted. The fact that they don't get back together is so realistic and I love reading a book that finally depicts a relationship where the characters need to distance themselves from one another in order to grow. I don't think we see enough of that in YA.
Overall, this was a decent book which made a good read!
3.5 Stars
(idk if any of this is really spoilers but I guess I'll hide it anyways) I really did enjoy this book. It was definitely a lot different from what I expected it to be but that definitely made it hard to put down. I think in the end, it was just a lot of things all happening at once that made it seem like Mare just could not catch even a single breath of air; but to be honest, I think that made it feel much more realistic to me, slightly overwhelming, but definitely realistic. I think this would be an interesting book to reread and annotate at some point, especially now that I know everything that happens.
(idk if any of this is really spoilers but I guess I'll hide it anyways) I really did enjoy this book. It was definitely a lot different from what I expected it to be but that definitely made it hard to put down. I think in the end, it was just a lot of things all happening at once that made it seem like Mare just could not catch even a single breath of air; but to be honest, I think that made it feel much more realistic to me, slightly overwhelming, but definitely realistic. I think this would be an interesting book to reread and annotate at some point, especially now that I know everything that happens.
Thank you net galley for an advanced reader's copy-I VERY much appreciate it!!
I enjoyed this book, but admittedly, it wasn't my favorite. I really wanted to love this book, thus I am the slightest bit disappointed, However, I do think it is worth a read, and there were a lot of aspects that were very well done. I thought that Katie dealt with the topic of religion, specifically atheism, in a very realistic and strong way. It was a really important discussion, and while the book definitely centers around atheism, it's not trying to shove atheism down your throat. It's the type of book that could really open the door for a strong, open minded conversation surrounding religion in general. I also loved the arc of Mare and Harper's relationship throughout the book. It felt very natural and organic, and I thought the brief love story was sweet and well developed.
My main issues with the book surround the writing, and how much is going on in this book. The writing felt very declamatory to me, it was full of a lot of statements. It also felt somewhat juvenile and underdeveloped to me, even for a highschooler's point of view. I also felt that there was SO much drama in this book, particularly with mean girls, and it seemed unrealistic to me. There was also so much going on. With plot points surrounding bullying, religion, sexual assault, and animal abuse, it all seemed a little much, and thus I don't think every aspect got the attention it deserved. Religion was definitely the most well developed plot point, but I think those surrounding the sexual assault and animal abuse were not developed well. The sexual assault plot point I felt was particularly mishandled, which was really disappointing to me.
It didn't feel realistic to me how our main character dealt with it. She essentially just moved on, and seemed to be pretty okay having just experienced a trauma. There was no exploration of how such a trauma affects an individual pretty much daily, of every waking moment, and no discussions of therapy or treatment or her getting help. I don't think this is a judgement to be placed on the author, rather I just think she wasn't able to spend enough time on the topic, and thus couldn't give it the attention and development such a topic needs and deserves. The animal abuse plot point also didn't really seem like it belonged. It was just another dramatic plot point that wasn't really necessary, and seemed kind of out of left field, especially when coupled with the other events that occurred that same night. There was just a lot of drama, and a lot of events that didn't seem realistic to me.
With all that being said, I still enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend it, and will be reading more from this author in the future. I know she will only continue to grow as an author, and I can't wait for the day when I will read a five star from her (as I'm sure I will!)
I enjoyed this book, but admittedly, it wasn't my favorite. I really wanted to love this book, thus I am the slightest bit disappointed, However, I do think it is worth a read, and there were a lot of aspects that were very well done. I thought that Katie dealt with the topic of religion, specifically atheism, in a very realistic and strong way. It was a really important discussion, and while the book definitely centers around atheism, it's not trying to shove atheism down your throat. It's the type of book that could really open the door for a strong, open minded conversation surrounding religion in general. I also loved the arc of Mare and Harper's relationship throughout the book. It felt very natural and organic, and I thought the brief love story was sweet and well developed.
My main issues with the book surround the writing, and how much is going on in this book. The writing felt very declamatory to me, it was full of a lot of statements. It also felt somewhat juvenile and underdeveloped to me, even for a highschooler's point of view. I also felt that there was SO much drama in this book, particularly with mean girls, and it seemed unrealistic to me. There was also so much going on. With plot points surrounding bullying, religion, sexual assault, and animal abuse, it all seemed a little much, and thus I don't think every aspect got the attention it deserved. Religion was definitely the most well developed plot point, but I think those surrounding the sexual assault and animal abuse were not developed well. The sexual assault plot point I felt was particularly mishandled, which was really disappointing to me.
It didn't feel realistic to me how our main character dealt with it. She essentially just moved on, and seemed to be pretty okay having just experienced a trauma. There was no exploration of how such a trauma affects an individual pretty much daily, of every waking moment, and no discussions of therapy or treatment or her getting help. I don't think this is a judgement to be placed on the author, rather I just think she wasn't able to spend enough time on the topic, and thus couldn't give it the attention and development such a topic needs and deserves. The animal abuse plot point also didn't really seem like it belonged. It was just another dramatic plot point that wasn't really necessary, and seemed kind of out of left field, especially when coupled with the other events that occurred that same night. There was just a lot of drama, and a lot of events that didn't seem realistic to me.
With all that being said, I still enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend it, and will be reading more from this author in the future. I know she will only continue to grow as an author, and I can't wait for the day when I will read a five star from her (as I'm sure I will!)
Overall an enjoyable YA read and a very good first novel by the author, whom I have followed on youtube for quite some time now. Katie Wismer is a very likeable person on camera and I like watching her writing vlogs (and her cats!) and her opinion on life. It obviously wasn't perfect, some plot line(s) seemed okay-ish, but were not elaborated more to seem realistic (though I feel this is due to them being not as important as the other plot lines).
I liked the main characters - even Jo, as it seems that most people had issues with her. I totally agreed with Mare on the whole religious aspects and really felt for her when things got rough. Sam was a really decent guy and a perfect love interest, though I liked thatthey did not end up together, as Mare did mess up the whole thing. I found that very realistic and not every romance in a book has to lead to a happy end relationship . Jo was the typical enjoyable, wild-spirited sidekick with sometimes questionable morals, but a strong sense of loyalty. Harper was intriguing and frustrating at times, but if possible, I'd like to see a companion book about her as well. :) The only characters I did not like, were the "antagonists". I could see the author tried to construct them with believable cruelty (based on history rather than being the bad boy for bad boy's sake), but it did not work all the time. Ashley's motivations were not strong enough for all the horrible stuff she did and the whole "I sense the guy at the shelter is a bad one" did not convince me either and felt not subtle, but forced on the reader.
There are several plot lines in this book, revolving around the typical teenager experience of and witch hunts in high school, religion and animalabuse. Except for the last plot line, I liked the execution of the other two. I can see that the critical take on strict Christian religion is one of the reasons this book got a lot of mixed reviews and that it might offend a lot of devoted Christian readers, but it just shows reality. Obviously not all religious people are that radical (thankfully!), but those people exist and coming from a country like the US, it's almost brave of the author for setting the main focus in this topic.
I do not think you should expect a breathtaking new take on any of the topics of this book, nor an astonishing never-been-there-before book. But I still recommend this book, as it is perfect to simply enjoy reading it and experiencing a different kind of life. Not every book has to be a unique new thing to be a good book. And as I said in my first sentence, it is very good for a first novel. Definitely kept me reading until 1 am and picking up the 2nd book afterwards. I certainly can recommend it to anyone who likes YA contemporaries resolving around high school drama.
Though be prepared for some triggering topics like rape and animal abuse.
I liked the main characters - even Jo, as it seems that most people had issues with her. I totally agreed with Mare on the whole religious aspects and really felt for her when things got rough. Sam was a really decent guy and a perfect love interest, though I liked that
There are several plot lines in this book, revolving around the typical teenager experience of and witch hunts in high school, religion and animal
I do not think you should expect a breathtaking new take on any of the topics of this book, nor an astonishing never-been-there-before book. But I still recommend this book, as it is perfect to simply enjoy reading it and experiencing a different kind of life. Not every book has to be a unique new thing to be a good book. And as I said in my first sentence, it is very good for a first novel. Definitely kept me reading until 1 am and picking up the 2nd book afterwards. I certainly can recommend it to anyone who likes YA contemporaries resolving around high school drama.
Though be prepared for some triggering topics like rape and animal abuse.
Wish i read this in high school. Way better quality YA than back in the day. Highly recommend. Loved the lessons mare took from her experiences.
I really wanted to like this book, unfortunately absolutely nothing about it worked for me. 3/4 of the plot points were so outlandish I couldn't suspend my disbelief even a little bit, and the ones that weren't were severely underwritten. The main characters were boring at best and unbearable at worst. This book also tried to undertake so many social issues over the span of 300 pages and didn't expand or delve into anything beyond a surface level with any of them. I've bumped this down to a one star because I honestly can't remember anything it did or that I liked about it to give it a two.
2.5 rounded up to a 3 ⭐️
The Anti-Virginity Pact caught my eye because the synopsis sounded super good.
Sadly the story was all over the place and we really only read about the pact for a small part of it.
There’s a lot of triggers and I feel like I need to bring those up first. Topics like sexual assault, bullying, animal abuse and religion.
My main issue with this book is how unbelievable it is. The main character kept getting herself into some ridiculous situations. Most of it was so unrealistic.
I felt like I was watching an episode of Pretty Little Liars. A train wreck that I couldn’t look away from.
I didn’t hate the book. It was enjoyable after the 50% mark and it was a pretty fast read.
Thank you Netgalley for the copy of this book.
The Anti-Virginity Pact caught my eye because the synopsis sounded super good.
Sadly the story was all over the place and we really only read about the pact for a small part of it.
There’s a lot of triggers and I feel like I need to bring those up first. Topics like sexual assault, bullying, animal abuse and religion.
My main issue with this book is how unbelievable it is. The main character kept getting herself into some ridiculous situations. Most of it was so unrealistic.
I felt like I was watching an episode of Pretty Little Liars. A train wreck that I couldn’t look away from.
I didn’t hate the book. It was enjoyable after the 50% mark and it was a pretty fast read.
Thank you Netgalley for the copy of this book.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have been following Katie's work on YouTube for a while and I was very happy to receive an advance copy of her first novel to read. The Anti-Virginity Pact was worth the wait!
In this book, we accompany Meredith, an eighteen-year-old girl who has to deal with the consequences of a pact with her best friend and constant family pressure.
I loved watching Mere's story during her senior year in high school. I think the author managed to create a real character and very firm in her beliefs and motivations.
I loved how the author managed to approach several serious topics with great responsibility and without looking pedantic. Major trigger warnings for family oppression, bullying, sexual abuse and animal abuse.
The only problem I had with this book lies in the construction of the characters, who didn’t always act their age. Also, the plot is full of tropes, which can put away some more demanding readers.
Other than that, in The Anti-Virginity Pact you will find a very well written and very fast passed book. I highly recommend it to those looking for a quick and impactful read.
I have been following Katie's work on YouTube for a while and I was very happy to receive an advance copy of her first novel to read. The Anti-Virginity Pact was worth the wait!
In this book, we accompany Meredith, an eighteen-year-old girl who has to deal with the consequences of a pact with her best friend and constant family pressure.
I loved watching Mere's story during her senior year in high school. I think the author managed to create a real character and very firm in her beliefs and motivations.
I loved how the author managed to approach several serious topics with great responsibility and without looking pedantic. Major trigger warnings for family oppression, bullying, sexual abuse and animal abuse.
The only problem I had with this book lies in the construction of the characters, who didn’t always act their age. Also, the plot is full of tropes, which can put away some more demanding readers.
Other than that, in The Anti-Virginity Pact you will find a very well written and very fast passed book. I highly recommend it to those looking for a quick and impactful read.
OK, well. The author gives a link to this book's trigger warnings at the beginning--https://www.katiewismer.com/trigger-warnings--which the "books" page on her site does NOT at all reference (unless I missed it somehow? I'd be happy to be wrong about this--I only got the link from the book itself). I couldn't actually figure out how to find the book's trigger warnings from the site's homepage, which is less than helpful when someone is trying to decide whether or not to read the book.
Anyway--check out the trigger warnings, so you're prepared. It's hard for me to say how realistically most of those are dealt with here, not having any actual experience with the bulk of them myself (thank god), but it really feels as if the author tried to take on waaaaaaay to many issues here to handle any of them really well. This isn't a book I'd feel comfortable giving to a younger teen for sure.
Rating: 2 stars / C-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Anyway--check out the trigger warnings, so you're prepared. It's hard for me to say how realistically most of those are dealt with here, not having any actual experience with the bulk of them myself (thank god), but it really feels as if the author tried to take on waaaaaaay to many issues here to handle any of them really well. This isn't a book I'd feel comfortable giving to a younger teen for sure.
Rating: 2 stars / C-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.