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emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley.
Liv Holmes is a 15 year old bisexual goth who's just moved to a new town with her mom. The suburban shopping mall in her new town offers a refuge as Liz navigates her new terrain.
Story: I did not expect this to be as deep as it is! I went into reading this with the idea that it was going to be a cute little coming-of-age in the aughts read, and then, Leth threw in discussion of grooming behavior and toxic/predatory men and boys. While not what I expected, I really enjoyed the story. Leth did an excellent job balancing the two aspects of the story, and I left feeling like I got to witness Liz's full experience.
I love love loved that Liz went to the safe adults in her life for help. Seeing healthy adult child relationships in YA stories seems rare. I also really liked that the girl characters weren't pitted against one another. That's such a worn-out trope.
Art: I enjoyed the clear lines and colors in this graphic novel. The style was well-balanced between whimsy and seriousness which went really well with the overall story.
Liv Holmes is a 15 year old bisexual goth who's just moved to a new town with her mom. The suburban shopping mall in her new town offers a refuge as Liz navigates her new terrain.
Story: I did not expect this to be as deep as it is! I went into reading this with the idea that it was going to be a cute little coming-of-age in the aughts read, and then, Leth threw in discussion of grooming behavior and toxic/predatory men and boys. While not what I expected, I really enjoyed the story. Leth did an excellent job balancing the two aspects of the story, and I left feeling like I got to witness Liz's full experience.
I love love loved that Liz went to the safe adults in her life for help. Seeing healthy adult child relationships in YA stories seems rare. I also really liked that the girl characters weren't pitted against one another. That's such a worn-out trope.
Art: I enjoyed the clear lines and colors in this graphic novel. The style was well-balanced between whimsy and seriousness which went really well with the overall story.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
fast-paced
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
What I expected to be a funny, nostalgic coming of age romp about being a goth/mall rat in the early 2000s surprisingly evolved into a mature, realistic take on grooming and predatory behavior. Don't get me wrong, that is in no way a complaint on my end, because the story perfectly balances its shifting tones.
Liv deals with all the normal teen problems: longing to find acceptance, working an embarrassing job to get some extra cash, getting wrapped up in all the teenage hormones that come with having a crush, She faces some additional struggles, such as past bullying due to her bisexuality and an absent father, but is still hesitantly open enough to start some new friendships. Building a sturdy support network is a large part of her character journey and I'm so glad that the author included a mix of her friends as well as some trusted adults into that group. It does away with the tired YA cliche of adults being fairly useless and showcases positive teen/adult interactions alongside a more harmful one to denote the differences.
Though I wasn't a teen yet by the time this story takes place, I definitely could feel the nostalgia sinking in when seeing some of the clothes and the general vibe of the mall. Also, noticing all the movie/music posters on Liv's wall (I peeped Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, and of course who could leave out good old Siouxsie?) really did warm my aspiring Goth heart.
What I expected to be a funny, nostalgic coming of age romp about being a goth/mall rat in the early 2000s surprisingly evolved into a mature, realistic take on grooming and predatory behavior. Don't get me wrong, that is in no way a complaint on my end, because the story perfectly balances its shifting tones.
Liv deals with all the normal teen problems: longing to find acceptance, working an embarrassing job to get some extra cash, getting wrapped up in all the teenage hormones that come with having a crush, She faces some additional struggles, such as past bullying due to her bisexuality and an absent father, but is still hesitantly open enough to start some new friendships. Building a sturdy support network is a large part of her character journey and I'm so glad that the author included a mix of her friends as well as some trusted adults into that group. It does away with the tired YA cliche of adults being fairly useless and showcases positive teen/adult interactions alongside a more harmful one to denote the differences.
Though I wasn't a teen yet by the time this story takes place, I definitely could feel the nostalgia sinking in when seeing some of the clothes and the general vibe of the mall. Also, noticing all the movie/music posters on Liv's wall (I peeped Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, and of course who could leave out good old Siouxsie?) really did warm my aspiring Goth heart.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Pedophilia
Minor: Biphobia, Bullying, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia