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wii3rdo's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
another phenomenal read from Tashie Bhuiyan 🥹 and just like when i read A Show For Two last summer...i had beef with Liana for a bit 😠HER DECISIONS REALLY, BUT GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES 👀 I LET IT SLIDE BECAUSE THE LAST THING I CAN HANDLE IS ANOTHER ONE SIDED BEEF WITH A FICTIONAL CHARACTER 💀
once again, Tashie Bhuiyan writes YA stories worth reading. they’re REAL, heartfelt, and it’s damn near impossible to resist falling in love with these characters and this story the more you read. there were several instances where i teared up because of how in touch i was with what the characters were saying. sometimes, it felt like i was reading someone else’s diary because of how personal the touches to the characters’ thoughts and interactions were. i don’t have a single complaint about this story. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE HONORABLE MUSIC MENTIONS AT THE START OF EACH CHAPTER???
TROYE SIVAN. CHUNGHA. MADISON REYES & CHARLIE GILLESPIE. my heart was very happy seeing so many different artists and genres blend together to give a better feel of this story as it unraveled.
once again, Tashie Bhuiyan writes YA stories worth reading. they’re REAL, heartfelt, and it’s damn near impossible to resist falling in love with these characters and this story the more you read. there were several instances where i teared up because of how in touch i was with what the characters were saying. sometimes, it felt like i was reading someone else’s diary because of how personal the touches to the characters’ thoughts and interactions were. i don’t have a single complaint about this story. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE HONORABLE MUSIC MENTIONS AT THE START OF EACH CHAPTER???
TROYE SIVAN. CHUNGHA. MADISON REYES & CHARLIE GILLESPIE. my heart was very happy seeing so many different artists and genres blend together to give a better feel of this story as it unraveled.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
katiemcgregor's review
emotional
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
3.5
I appreciate the Asian Readathon for encouraging me to seek out a book by a Bangladeshi author because I think Bhuiyan's writing has a lot of charm. Lately teenage characters have been driving me crazy because of the "all logic out the window" plots that appear in their stories. I don't expect (or want) teenage characters to be fully realized. They're teenagers. But I do think they can be flawed and still have a reasonable thought process behind the decisions they make.
Bhuiyan navigated this nicely. While some of the deception could have been solved in a much simpler way, I feel like Liana's reasoning made sense for her character. I appreciated that the pop culture references were done tastefully and the writing flowed well and was easy to get through.
I maybe wish that things were a little more developed regarding the other characters (they were but they weren't?) and I'm not sure how I feel about the conclusion with the family issues. I do understand the choice of an open ended conclusion rather than a perfect one because I think it's more realistic for this type of conflict, but maybe a little more on-page progress would have been nice? Some sort of coming-to-an-understanding? I don't know. It's fine as is, but I'd be curious to see different routes explored.
Looking forward to reading more of Bhuiyan's work.
Bhuiyan navigated this nicely. While some of the deception could have been solved in a much simpler way, I feel like Liana's reasoning made sense for her character. I appreciated that the pop culture references were done tastefully and the writing flowed well and was easy to get through.
I maybe wish that things were a little more developed regarding the other characters (they were but they weren't?) and I'm not sure how I feel about the conclusion with the family issues. I do understand the choice of an open ended conclusion rather than a perfect one because I think it's more realistic for this type of conflict, but maybe a little more on-page progress would have been nice? Some sort of coming-to-an-understanding? I don't know. It's fine as is, but I'd be curious to see different routes explored.
Looking forward to reading more of Bhuiyan's work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Self harm and Suicide
hananh's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
brittanica_bold's review
4.0
This was another cute Tashie Bhuiyan YA novel that I couldn't put down!
I've read 2 books that were odes to music: Stay with My Heart and a book about the history of Rock & Roll that was required reading for university; I much preferred Stay with My Heart.
The found family vibes within this book were fantastic. From the band members acting as though they had known each other their whole lives (instead of just 1 to 3 years), to the "cuddle piles", to how openly they embraced Liana (and even Evie), you could just feel the comfort and wholehearted acceptance of the group.
I also loved how much of the book focused on grief, anxiety, and depression, and further how it focused on different approaches to living with these, from honoring past ones memories, to learning to live again, to those stuck in the past.
The romance took a back seat in this one, which was fine but not great. I typically pick up books for the romance included and this one left me wanting a bit. However, the rest of it was enough to overcome this for me.
I've read 2 books that were odes to music: Stay with My Heart and a book about the history of Rock & Roll that was required reading for university; I much preferred Stay with My Heart.
The found family vibes within this book were fantastic. From the band members acting as though they had known each other their whole lives (instead of just 1 to 3 years), to the "cuddle piles", to how openly they embraced Liana (and even Evie), you could just feel the comfort and wholehearted acceptance of the group.
I also loved how much of the book focused on grief, anxiety, and depression, and further how it focused on different approaches to living with these, from honoring past ones memories, to learning to live again, to those stuck in the past.
The romance took a back seat in this one, which was fine but not great. I typically pick up books for the romance included and this one left me wanting a bit. However, the rest of it was enough to overcome this for me.
toothlesss's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
hannah_the_home_librarian's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
loonieslibrary's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-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? Yes
4.0
aprilyang1's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I absolutely loved the found family trope and boy band dynamic. I honestly wish I could experience Third Eye for real 😩 and just know that I’d be front row for ‘Late Night’! I also loved the therapy representation. It's always heartwarming when characters actively seek therapy because they understand its importance.
Tashie Bhuiyan does a great job placing a bit of realism into the story with the direction she decided to take Liana and her fathers relationship. It mirrors reality for many people, really emphasizing that family can extend beyond blood to include the friends around you.
However, I was somewhat disappointed because the story didn't resonate with me as well as I expected. I struggled to understand and appreciate Liana’s choices. While I empathize with her need for her father's attention, her character felt a bit selfish because her inability to own up to her mistakes by being honest. I felt like she justified her lies based on her situation and the others were expected to just allow things to happen without regard for their own situations.
I loved the book's general premise, and despite falling short for me, it still had so many heartwarming aspects that I really enjoyed.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
eatallthestars's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.5
Listening to each song is so integral to the experience of reading this book. It's enjoyable as is but it truly elevates the story and I love it. Also Liana (and Sky) have great taste in music.