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2.81 AVERAGE
2.81 AVERAGE
Review originally posted on journeyintotheshelves.tumblr.com & journeyintotheshelves.wordpress.com
**I received an eARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Sourcebooks. This has had no bearing on this review.
This Song is (Not) for You follows the story of Ramona, Sam, and Tom - three “weird” teens who make music together - and their intertwining relationship over the course of a year.
Because it follows their relationship and it’s progression, there really isn’t a direct, streamlined plot; it’s very much a “day in the life” kind of book which allows Nowlin to really develop her characters, their voices, and struggles a lot more than in some other contemporary YA books that I’ve read. However, because of that, the writing of this book is really jumpy. It is told in alternating perspectives between the three characters, so you do get to see the variety of their worlds, but some moments are disjointed and, frankly, jarring to read. There were also certain subplots that seemed really unnecessary to development, both plot wise and character wise, and they slow down the book’s momentum.
The relationship between Ramona, Sam, and Tom is extremely intense, and it gets really intense very quickly. The characters themselves were also have very intense personalities, but they do show different life choices in regards to the future - college, work, etc. - that is (sadly) rarely seen in YA. Nowlin is able to make interesting commentary on various real world topics and discusses several philosophical ideas simplistically that I really enjoyed both reading and thinking about long after I finished.
The characters themselves are fairly well-rounded and each have very distinct personalities and quirks. Ramona is zany and can be a turn off for many readers, but I thought she was very enjoyable to read. Sam is very much the boy you wish would fall in love with you. Tom’s storyline, however, was the most interesting to read and my favorite part of the book. Throughout the novel he deals with sexuality issues (I’m not going to say exactly what because of spoilers), but Nowlin handles his mindset and his thought process very well. It’s not a coming out moment in any sense, but rather, a path toward acceptance that Tom goes through that was truly captivating.
Overall, This Song is (Not) for You is a quick read with an intense relationship and a character focused plot that explores ideas that not many YA novels attempt to tackle.
**I received an eARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Sourcebooks. This has had no bearing on this review.
This Song is (Not) for You follows the story of Ramona, Sam, and Tom - three “weird” teens who make music together - and their intertwining relationship over the course of a year.
Because it follows their relationship and it’s progression, there really isn’t a direct, streamlined plot; it’s very much a “day in the life” kind of book which allows Nowlin to really develop her characters, their voices, and struggles a lot more than in some other contemporary YA books that I’ve read. However, because of that, the writing of this book is really jumpy. It is told in alternating perspectives between the three characters, so you do get to see the variety of their worlds, but some moments are disjointed and, frankly, jarring to read. There were also certain subplots that seemed really unnecessary to development, both plot wise and character wise, and they slow down the book’s momentum.
The relationship between Ramona, Sam, and Tom is extremely intense, and it gets really intense very quickly. The characters themselves were also have very intense personalities, but they do show different life choices in regards to the future - college, work, etc. - that is (sadly) rarely seen in YA. Nowlin is able to make interesting commentary on various real world topics and discusses several philosophical ideas simplistically that I really enjoyed both reading and thinking about long after I finished.
The characters themselves are fairly well-rounded and each have very distinct personalities and quirks. Ramona is zany and can be a turn off for many readers, but I thought she was very enjoyable to read. Sam is very much the boy you wish would fall in love with you. Tom’s storyline, however, was the most interesting to read and my favorite part of the book. Throughout the novel he deals with sexuality issues (I’m not going to say exactly what because of spoilers), but Nowlin handles his mindset and his thought process very well. It’s not a coming out moment in any sense, but rather, a path toward acceptance that Tom goes through that was truly captivating.
Overall, This Song is (Not) for You is a quick read with an intense relationship and a character focused plot that explores ideas that not many YA novels attempt to tackle.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i was gonna spoiler tag this review but ehh, nobody else seems to have and i would've picked this book up way sooner if i knew so:
THIS BOOK HAS AN ASEXUAL CHARACTER AS PART OF A LOVE TRIANGLE THAT IS RESOLVED VIA POLY
♥_♥
the more ya i read the more i'm stoked for today's teens, you did not see this kind of thing when i was a teenager
i feel like i'm even more stoked because this is very bread and butter ya, it's contemporary, character-focused, following three teens on the verge of graduation who are making choices about how they wanna live their life. it just points out those choices are a lot wider then pop culture generally tells you :D
3 stars
THIS BOOK HAS AN ASEXUAL CHARACTER AS PART OF A LOVE TRIANGLE THAT IS RESOLVED VIA POLY
♥_♥
the more ya i read the more i'm stoked for today's teens, you did not see this kind of thing when i was a teenager
i feel like i'm even more stoked because this is very bread and butter ya, it's contemporary, character-focused, following three teens on the verge of graduation who are making choices about how they wanna live their life. it just points out those choices are a lot wider then pop culture generally tells you :D
3 stars
This book is not for everyone. But I'm one of those that this book is meant for, because I enjoyed it and it resonated with me.
This book has a lot of "deepness" and profundity to it. I'm not saying that it's actually profound, but that it tries to be... or at least, the characters are trying really hard to make sense of the world and determine how they fit in the structure that underlies society.
These kids are on the cusp of adulthood. They're trying to figure themselves out. They have so much love within them. You could call this book a love story, even though it's not one in a traditional way. I would love to see them a few years down the line, and then again a few years after that. Would they still be Ramona, Sam, and Tom? Or would they change and grow apart? Could they possibly be merely a product of their environment; friends by pure chance? I think one of the great things about enduring friendships is that people actively try to make it work even when they are far apart. Even when those circumstances don't align, they still intend to seek each other out. I would love to see that come to fruition.
There are some wonderful supporting characters here, especially in the form of parental figures. Each character has his or her own side character as well, I guess to show that they are their own people (and not encapsulated in a tiny, lovely, bubble): Emmalyne, Sara, and that guidance counsellor. I was a big fan of all of this.
This book is complicated. It has a lot of layers. There's a part early on where Sam and Tom argue about whether Ramona prefers piano or drums. It didn't click that these instruments were metaphors (or perhaps, they were the metaphors?). I didn't realize that conversation was foreshadowing something bigger that would happen to this motley crew. Or rather, that they would choose to make more happen.
This review is getting cryptic since I don't want to spoil anything. Trust me, it's a perfectly ironic, quiet, and thoughtful read.
This book has a lot of "deepness" and profundity to it. I'm not saying that it's actually profound, but that it tries to be... or at least, the characters are trying really hard to make sense of the world and determine how they fit in the structure that underlies society.
These kids are on the cusp of adulthood. They're trying to figure themselves out. They have so much love within them. You could call this book a love story, even though it's not one in a traditional way. I would love to see them a few years down the line, and then again a few years after that. Would they still be Ramona, Sam, and Tom? Or would they change and grow apart? Could they possibly be merely a product of their environment; friends by pure chance? I think one of the great things about enduring friendships is that people actively try to make it work even when they are far apart. Even when those circumstances don't align, they still intend to seek each other out. I would love to see that come to fruition.
There are some wonderful supporting characters here, especially in the form of parental figures. Each character has his or her own side character as well, I guess to show that they are their own people (and not encapsulated in a tiny, lovely, bubble): Emmalyne, Sara, and that guidance counsellor. I was a big fan of all of this.
This book is complicated. It has a lot of layers. There's a part early on where Sam and Tom argue about whether Ramona prefers piano or drums. It didn't click that these instruments were metaphors (or perhaps, they were the metaphors?). I didn't realize that conversation was foreshadowing something bigger that would happen to this motley crew. Or rather, that they would choose to make more happen.
This review is getting cryptic since I don't want to spoil anything. Trust me, it's a perfectly ironic, quiet, and thoughtful read.
ARC provided by Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley
Sooo...I just finished this book in one sitting. I know it's only just over 200 pages, but even when I read a book quickly, it's not usually without moving from my seat for the whole time. I guess it is pretty safe to say that I adored this book.
Again, when I was a little bit older a friend became involved in a poly-amorous relationship, and I questioned how this would work. Eventually I came to the conclusion that as long as they were happy I had nothing else to say about it, but it did take me by surprise and I didn't really know appropriate ways to react. Now, I know that if it's not my relationship I really have no right to feel any way about it, but I appreciate that this book addresses this with a younger audience. Perhaps if I had read something like this when I was younger, I wouldn't have made such an ass of myself with my reactions in those situations.
That quote from Tom pretty much sums up how the trio in the book feel and I loved that it was so simply and explicitly communicated.
A really great read, and I look forward to reading more of [a:Laura Nowlin|6472187|Laura Nowlin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1355176564p2/6472187.jpg]'s work in the future.
Sooo...I just finished this book in one sitting. I know it's only just over 200 pages, but even when I read a book quickly, it's not usually without moving from my seat for the whole time. I guess it is pretty safe to say that I adored this book.
Spoiler
When I was in high school a friend expressed her asexuality to me and I remember being absolutely baffled by it, and really feeling unsure that this was something that was genuine. I think that part of me felt like the character Sara in this book, that it was just a case that they hadn't yet met the right person, or that perhaps their sexuality was not something they were ready to accept. Looking back at this I really cringe that I could judge someone else's feelings about sex like that, especially since I was very critical of homophobic people.Again, when I was a little bit older a friend became involved in a poly-amorous relationship, and I questioned how this would work. Eventually I came to the conclusion that as long as they were happy I had nothing else to say about it, but it did take me by surprise and I didn't really know appropriate ways to react. Now, I know that if it's not my relationship I really have no right to feel any way about it, but I appreciate that this book addresses this with a younger audience. Perhaps if I had read something like this when I was younger, I wouldn't have made such an ass of myself with my reactions in those situations.
I hope that in the future kids can just bring whomever they're dating home without any sort of announcement. There are already enough awkward puberty conversations with parents. Adding a "So, I only like people with these kinda genitals" conversation is cruel and unusual.
That quote from Tom pretty much sums up how the trio in the book feel and I loved that it was so simply and explicitly communicated.
A really great read, and I look forward to reading more of [a:Laura Nowlin|6472187|Laura Nowlin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1355176564p2/6472187.jpg]'s work in the future.
I really liked how the romance naturally bloomed and developed between the three, and having one be ace is amazing.
The one thing I really really loved about this book was the relationship, or at least how it ended up.
Spoiler
I like that Tom is ace, the other two are allo, and Tom and Sam are biromantic (at least that's how they read to me). I like they talked, and worked it out, and will clearly continue to work hard at being a happy threesome. That was amazing, wonderful, and I loved itI did not like that Ramona was the snowflower who was different from other girls, Quirky (tm), and so many other tiresome cliches and that I think there was like one other girl she approved of (Sara, if there were others I've already forgotten) and she says the other girl 'started it' with their mutual hatred but it seems to me Ramona was the jerk. And I was hoping maybe part of her evolution was to leave the girl hate behind, but sadly that was not the case.
the boys were equally snowflower in their way, and it just got old. All three acted like they were Better and Different From Other Kids and I'm just not down with that.
And I really hate when books do weird things with the writing like this one did, with the verses and odd formatting for Effect and such. It's distracting and annoying, not whatever they were hoping it would be.
challenging
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Medical content
Minor: Sexual content
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No