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sam_xmc's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Car accident
merle_bookdragon's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Very mixed feelings about this one. It took me about 2/3rds of this book before I fully got into it and managed to properly read it. If I was another person I might've dnf-ed it but I never do that and then the ending was able to raise the raiting again.
First of all, and I will be picky about this, because honestly, but a HP reference in a 2022 book? Really? It left a weird aftertaste and that was only 44 pages into the book.
For the rest, I truly don't know what it is. I don't know if it's because we're reading the story from the perspective of two teenagers and I just don't understand what they think like? And then a lot of the time they don't act like 17/18 year olds at all? Or maybe it's specifically American teenagers?
I was really struggling with Orion's perspective the most because he wasn't just awkward, he was AWKWARD. Like so much that it already felt unrealistic to me again. Technically he was incredibly sweet but then he'd say such random stuff? And also came on really strong to Ray even when she said no? Like I don't care that you think she is the most beautiful person in the world, she said no! It doesn't matter that Ray secretly likes it because he. doesn't. know. that. And then sleeping with the sweater she wore after they had just met? Is it just me or is that kinda weird?
I was getting along with Ray's POV way better until she started snooping around in Orion's house, like, have you heard of privacy? You've barely known him 24h girl. And then THEN she first of all went "why are we not making out yet, he should be all over me" and "Any other guy would have totally hooked up with me by now. He didn't even try. He's too innocent." ?! uhm excuse me !!? and then second of all literally went "i'm not like other girls" and then Orion also said "yeah you really aren't," like WOW, we really went there huh.
ANYWAY, it got really interesting and emotional towards the end. Ray's talks with her mom, Orion's talks with his dad (and mom), their talks with each other, Ray going to her dad's grave. It gave the story so much more meaning and depth and it only happened so late that it was only covered a little and felt like it was only used to create drama? Especially together with the unnecessary miscommunication between Ray and Orion about whether he knew or not. That could've 100% been avoided.
I like that at the end they both got to jump over their shadows a little and decide that despite their families' histories they would try to be together. I just wish that had played a role earlier. The star-crossed part really didn't matter for most of the book.
First of all, and I will be picky about this, because honestly, but a HP reference in a 2022 book? Really? It left a weird aftertaste and that was only 44 pages into the book.
For the rest, I truly don't know what it is. I don't know if it's because we're reading the story from the perspective of two teenagers and I just don't understand what they think like? And then a lot of the time they don't act like 17/18 year olds at all? Or maybe it's specifically American teenagers?
I was really struggling with Orion's perspective the most because he wasn't just awkward, he was AWKWARD. Like so much that it already felt unrealistic to me again. Technically he was incredibly sweet but then he'd say such random stuff? And also came on really strong to Ray even when she said no? Like I don't care that you think she is the most beautiful person in the world, she said no! It doesn't matter that Ray secretly likes it because he. doesn't. know. that. And then sleeping with the sweater she wore after they had just met? Is it just me or is that kinda weird?
I was getting along with Ray's POV way better until she started snooping around in Orion's house, like, have you heard of privacy? You've barely known him 24h girl. And then THEN she first of all went "why are we not making out yet, he should be all over me" and "Any other guy would have totally hooked up with me by now. He didn't even try. He's too innocent." ?! uhm excuse me !!? and then second of all literally went "i'm not like other girls" and then Orion also said "yeah you really aren't," like WOW, we really went there huh.
ANYWAY, it got really interesting and emotional towards the end. Ray's talks with her mom, Orion's talks with his dad (and mom), their talks with each other, Ray going to her dad's grave. It gave the story so much more meaning and depth and it only happened so late that it was only covered a little and felt like it was only used to create drama? Especially together with the unnecessary miscommunication between Ray and Orion about whether he knew or not. That could've 100% been avoided.
I like that at the end they both got to jump over their shadows a little and decide that despite their families' histories they would try to be together. I just wish that had played a role earlier. The star-crossed part really didn't matter for most of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child death, Car accident, and Death of parent
dpearson5257's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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? No
4.5
For a YA contemporary story, this could be my favorite I’ve read recently. The characters were wonderful, they had just enough layers to keep you invested. The plot was beautifully written, we know this story is about grief but on multiple levels and I feel that it was expressed with care. And there’s even a twist or added element towards the end that just snatched your heart even more.
Both Ray and Orion were clearly their own character and had their own voices. I loved watching their relationship bloom and watching them interact with each other in such a caring way. Loved this book!
⚠️: grief and loss of close family members
Both Ray and Orion were clearly their own character and had their own voices. I loved watching their relationship bloom and watching them interact with each other in such a caring way. Loved this book!
⚠️: grief and loss of close family members
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
solaria's review
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
bruh
Boring, cliche and cringey. Characters couldn't communicate and were bland which made it a frustrating read. Chemistry between main couple was forced and offered nothing interesting. There was no plot which left the already stale cast nothing to work with. The "plot twist" if you even want to call it that was underwhelming because the author clearly laid out what was going to happen before it was revealed, I knew exactly where the plot was heading and it was just as boring as predicted. The author told too much rather than describing or exploring it in a meaningful way. It could've been a lot shorter because sometimes the author inserted lines that were already implied during dialogue or other moments. Idk.....just not a good read at all.
Boring, cliche and cringey. Characters couldn't communicate and were bland which made it a frustrating read. Chemistry between main couple was forced and offered nothing interesting. There was no plot which left the already stale cast nothing to work with. The "plot twist" if you even want to call it that was underwhelming because the author clearly laid out what was going to happen before it was revealed, I knew exactly where the plot was heading and it was just as boring as predicted. The author told too much rather than describing or exploring it in a meaningful way. It could've been a lot shorter because sometimes the author inserted lines that were already implied during dialogue or other moments. Idk.....just not a good read at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Grief
snowwhitehatesapples's review
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Review can also be found at Snow White Hates Apples.
Losing family can be painful, and how we process grief differs from person to person. In Ray's case, she refuses to ever fall in love after witnessing how torn her mother remains after her father's death. For Orion, he does his best to become the best son a father could ever ask for—even if that means suppressing his own wants and desires—after his little sister's untimely passing. So, what happens when these two meet? A romance that the stars will gradually align for, that's what.
Okay, so I'm just going to admit right now that contemporary romance YA books are no longer my cup of tea. Sure, now and then, there'll be a gem I'll fall head over heels for, but most of the time, what I seek to read in romances doesn't appear much in contemporary YA romances. That said, Finding Jupiter is one of those that almost hits the mark as a contemporary YA romance that I'd wholly adore, but due to a few factors, falls short.
To begin, the story is cliché. Although I knew it'd be a given since it has elements of Romeo and Juliet, I had hoped for strong characters, emotional impact and depth that would elevate the story. Sadly, that's not entirely the case because despite Ray and Orion being strong characters, the emotional impact was dulled as I knew what was coming (and it happened exactly the way I expected it) right from the beginning, which then, made the story feel shallow.
Anyway, I greatly enjoyed the actual communication between the characters here. The way Orion and Ray don't just talk but communicate things with each other and their parents, AND their parents doing the same with their kids is something more YA novels should have instead of the prevalent absent parents trope.
Moreover, I really appreciate that Orion is the sweet and sensitive one while Ray is more confident yet fearful of being vulnerable. It's not often that I read about main characters like them, especially as they're both part of the same pairing. This and the sex-positivity makes reading about their romance refreshing.
Overall, Finding Jupiter is a solid debut novel that explores grief, family ties, love and identity. The execution of the twist could've been better, and I would've preferred for the story to be less cheesy but hey, while it's not entirely for me, it might be just the right book for you.
Losing family can be painful, and how we process grief differs from person to person. In Ray's case, she refuses to ever fall in love after witnessing how torn her mother remains after her father's death. For Orion, he does his best to become the best son a father could ever ask for—even if that means suppressing his own wants and desires—after his little sister's untimely passing. So, what happens when these two meet? A romance that the stars will gradually align for, that's what.
Okay, so I'm just going to admit right now that contemporary romance YA books are no longer my cup of tea. Sure, now and then, there'll be a gem I'll fall head over heels for, but most of the time, what I seek to read in romances doesn't appear much in contemporary YA romances. That said, Finding Jupiter is one of those that almost hits the mark as a contemporary YA romance that I'd wholly adore, but due to a few factors, falls short.
To begin, the story is cliché. Although I knew it'd be a given since it has elements of Romeo and Juliet, I had hoped for strong characters, emotional impact and depth that would elevate the story. Sadly, that's not entirely the case because despite Ray and Orion being strong characters, the emotional impact was dulled as I knew what was coming (and it happened exactly the way I expected it) right from the beginning, which then, made the story feel shallow.
Anyway, I greatly enjoyed the actual communication between the characters here. The way Orion and Ray don't just talk but communicate things with each other and their parents, AND their parents doing the same with their kids is something more YA novels should have instead of the prevalent absent parents trope.
Moreover, I really appreciate that Orion is the sweet and sensitive one while Ray is more confident yet fearful of being vulnerable. It's not often that I read about main characters like them, especially as they're both part of the same pairing. This and the sex-positivity makes reading about their romance refreshing.
Overall, Finding Jupiter is a solid debut novel that explores grief, family ties, love and identity. The execution of the twist could've been better, and I would've preferred for the story to be less cheesy but hey, while it's not entirely for me, it might be just the right book for you.
Thank you so much Pansing for sending me an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review! Finding Jupiter by Kelis Rowe is available at all good bookstores.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death of parent and Child death
amberinpieces's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Grief, Sexual content, Car accident, and Misogyny
Minor: Mental illness and Pregnancy
zeebookdragon's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Two teens fall in love during a steamy Memphis summer. A chance encounter at the roller skating rink brings together Ray and Orion. Ray is determined never to fall in love and Orion wears his heart on his sleeve. The power in Ray‘s found poetry showed the sensitivity she tries so desperately to hide. The words of her poetry were new and familiar all at once. Orion is trying to sort out the future he wants from his parents' dreams for him. This wasn‘t just a story about first love. It was also about healing and overcoming grief. I love the open conversations both teens have with their parents about relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
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