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readingwithlibby's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a lovely read. I found not much happened really, there weren’t any major dramas or secrets or plot twists, but it was so wholesome and cute. I loved Lily as a main character and her mum is so sweet. I loved how the struggles of sexuality and university self esteem were handled and I feel like if I read this book as a teenager it would have really helped me feel less lonely!!
just_fenne's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.0
beckicrossley_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
4.5
beccamilsom's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.75
notlikethebeer's review against another edition
5.0
This was amazing. Really, truly amazing. Just... wow.
Melt My Heart is about Lily Rose: artist and ice cream seller. She's just finished sixth form, she's going out with a Totally Hot Guy, and the summer stretches out ahead of her. Which all sounds good in theory... But in reality it's maybe not that simple. Her twin sister fell for Totally Hot Guy first, things keep getting weird with her best friend, and she thinks she might be the only person ever to not want to get the grades for university. It's a rollercoaster of emotions for Lily Rose!
This book kinda reminded me of Jordi Perez's English counterpart, which I loved. It's not just that the protagonist is queer and fat, but also the look at fashion and teen jobs, I think. I will take queer YA in any form, and I'm actually a really big fan of American novels, but it was also really refreshing, as a queer Brit, to read something with a context so familiar to me.
I really loved Lily- but I loved her even more because she wasn't perfect. She screwed up, and people got annoyed at her, and that was all totally valid. Often, when people challenge or confront a protagonist, the reader is invited to be on the protagonists side. In Melt My Heart, however, whilst fully loving Lily, I wasn't always on her side in arguments: and that's what I want! I want to see protagonists challenged and allowed to grow, and Melt My Heart did that so well. I also reaally liked that all of the characters were made so three-dimensional; each of them had their own issues and problems, and even characters like Daisy, who were presented as being so together, had their own stuff going on. They all felt so human and real.
In terms of representation, this book ticks some obvious boxes, but also some less obvious ones. Lily is a fat, bisexual woman, and both of these facets of her identity are really well explored throughout the book. I especially loved the bisexuality rep- although MMH is kind of a coming-out-story, it's also not really, because Lily's sexuality never feels like a big deal at all. Definitely, saying that she's bi doesn't feel like a spoiler, and that's the way it should be. Lily also shows the complex emotions that come with being fat in a fatphobic society: her own love for her body, but also the negativity she picks up from others, and the way that these intersect. And, at all times, the book is never just about Lily being fat, or Lily being bisexual: there's way more to the story than that! That's where the less obvious representation comes in too I think. This is a story about twins who love each other, but who are also each trying to be their own people. This is a story about not really knowing what you want to do with your life, when everyone around you seems pretty set. This is a story about navigating friendships and relationships, all at once. This is a story about small towns in England, with their unique experiences, and their flaws as well. There is SO MUCH going on in this book that isn't always portrayed elsewhere, and I adored it all.
I will say- I am a white reviewer. There may well be issues with the portrayal of Cassie, and the racism/fascism part of the storyline, and in no way am I going to negate those. I did feel that the poster storyline ended maybe a little too hastily, and that Lily's actions at times could be seen as a bit White Saviour-y. I'm also really keen to read more reviews as they come, and see what other people, particularly those better placed to evaluate these aspects, have to say about it all.
I do think the writing was a tiny bit clunky at times, particularly in regards to conversations. Having said that, I don't think the copy I read was fully formatted properly, so that didn't help!
Overall- cannot wait to see this book out in the real world. Cannot wait for people to read it. I can see this really changing people's lives, and I know it will get into the hands of people who really need it.
Melt My Heart is about Lily Rose: artist and ice cream seller. She's just finished sixth form, she's going out with a Totally Hot Guy, and the summer stretches out ahead of her. Which all sounds good in theory... But in reality it's maybe not that simple. Her twin sister fell for Totally Hot Guy first, things keep getting weird with her best friend, and she thinks she might be the only person ever to not want to get the grades for university. It's a rollercoaster of emotions for Lily Rose!
This book kinda reminded me of Jordi Perez's English counterpart, which I loved. It's not just that the protagonist is queer and fat, but also the look at fashion and teen jobs, I think. I will take queer YA in any form, and I'm actually a really big fan of American novels, but it was also really refreshing, as a queer Brit, to read something with a context so familiar to me.
I really loved Lily- but I loved her even more because she wasn't perfect. She screwed up, and people got annoyed at her, and that was all totally valid. Often, when people challenge or confront a protagonist, the reader is invited to be on the protagonists side. In Melt My Heart, however, whilst fully loving Lily, I wasn't always on her side in arguments: and that's what I want! I want to see protagonists challenged and allowed to grow, and Melt My Heart did that so well. I also reaally liked that all of the characters were made so three-dimensional; each of them had their own issues and problems, and even characters like Daisy, who were presented as being so together, had their own stuff going on. They all felt so human and real.
In terms of representation, this book ticks some obvious boxes, but also some less obvious ones. Lily is a fat, bisexual woman, and both of these facets of her identity are really well explored throughout the book. I especially loved the bisexuality rep- although MMH is kind of a coming-out-story, it's also not really, because Lily's sexuality never feels like a big deal at all. Definitely, saying that she's bi doesn't feel like a spoiler, and that's the way it should be. Lily also shows the complex emotions that come with being fat in a fatphobic society: her own love for her body, but also the negativity she picks up from others, and the way that these intersect. And, at all times, the book is never just about Lily being fat, or Lily being bisexual: there's way more to the story than that! That's where the less obvious representation comes in too I think. This is a story about twins who love each other, but who are also each trying to be their own people. This is a story about not really knowing what you want to do with your life, when everyone around you seems pretty set. This is a story about navigating friendships and relationships, all at once. This is a story about small towns in England, with their unique experiences, and their flaws as well. There is SO MUCH going on in this book that isn't always portrayed elsewhere, and I adored it all.
I will say- I am a white reviewer. There may well be issues with the portrayal of Cassie, and the racism/fascism part of the storyline, and in no way am I going to negate those. I did feel that the poster storyline ended maybe a little too hastily, and that Lily's actions at times could be seen as a bit White Saviour-y. I'm also really keen to read more reviews as they come, and see what other people, particularly those better placed to evaluate these aspects, have to say about it all.
I do think the writing was a tiny bit clunky at times, particularly in regards to conversations. Having said that, I don't think the copy I read was fully formatted properly, so that didn't help!
Overall- cannot wait to see this book out in the real world. Cannot wait for people to read it. I can see this really changing people's lives, and I know it will get into the hands of people who really need it.
ashlo26's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Such a sweet little book! I wasn't expecting an LGBT+ when I picked this up, and it was a lovely surprise. I was still expecting to find out who was doing the posters, guessing at people in Lily's life. But makes sense it wasn't. So sweet
althea's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to Netgalley for an e-ARC in return for a review!
The book follows our main character Lily who has always felt like she is in her twin sister, Daisy's, shadow - she's fat and has never received the same attention from other people her age that Daisy gets as she is seen as the 'less pretty' twin. She's hopefully heading off to Leeds after the Summer to do an art history degree but at the same time is scared to leave her best friend Cassie behind. One night, she meets Cal and the two instantly form a connection, but he also happens to be Daisy's crush, which complicates matters even more.
I want to preface this review by saying that this book is absolutely adorable! It's set in a small seaside town where our main character works in a small ice cream stand by the beach, and as someone who lives near several seaside towns, it's not only an accurate depiction of this, but just the best Summer vibes, in my opinion!
I absolutely loved Lily as our main character. She's a fat girl who is in love with her body and unapologetically proud of who she is, and as a fat woman myself, I wish I could've had this representation when I was growing up. Lily's passion for art was so lovely to see and her fears of painting people because it's like revealing your innermost feelings about them felt so real and relatable to me, even as a not arty person! Cassie, her best friend, was so much fun! She sews her own clothes from old scraps of fabric (we love a sustainable queen) and doodles the people who buy ice cream from her family's ice cream stand. Seeing their friendship grow through the book was so cute and I loved how they always rooted for each other! I also really loved Cal - he's one of the most genuinely kind and caring male characters I've read in a long time. The way he reassured Lily about her body and how he loved her was really something I needed to read and I'm so happy that young girls will finally get to be able to read it while they're growing up too.
This didn't seem like a plot heavy book to me, which I really don't mind, I'm a character driven book kinda gal anyway, but the little plot twists (hello Señor Mango Sorbet!) had me audibly gasping! The complicated, yet healthy, family relationships in this book was also something I really loved - Lily and Daisy's mum was so sweet! Of course, the book deals with fatph
obia, biphobia and xenophobia, which I think was dealt with very well. The fatphobia, for me, was quite difficult to read at times, but really showed how, what may seem like insignificant phrases to other people, can be really hurtful to fat people. Although, as a lesbian, I can't speak for the bi representation, I did love the slow burn friends to lovers romance. Saying that, although you could see hints of it before Lily realised her own feelings, the 'realisation' that she is bi and in love with her best friend felt very sudden to me. But, as a friends to lovers stan, I'm willing to let it slide!
Overall, I really, really loved and appreciated this book and I'm so shocked by how underrated it is (cue me never shutting up about it again!). I cannot recommend it enough for a cute, Summer read that also deals with some hard hitting topics in an accessible and respectful way!
Tw: homophobia, biphobia, fatphobia, xenophobia, racism
The book follows our main character Lily who has always felt like she is in her twin sister, Daisy's, shadow - she's fat and has never received the same attention from other people her age that Daisy gets as she is seen as the 'less pretty' twin. She's hopefully heading off to Leeds after the Summer to do an art history degree but at the same time is scared to leave her best friend Cassie behind. One night, she meets Cal and the two instantly form a connection, but he also happens to be Daisy's crush, which complicates matters even more.
I want to preface this review by saying that this book is absolutely adorable! It's set in a small seaside town where our main character works in a small ice cream stand by the beach, and as someone who lives near several seaside towns, it's not only an accurate depiction of this, but just the best Summer vibes, in my opinion!
I absolutely loved Lily as our main character. She's a fat girl who is in love with her body and unapologetically proud of who she is, and as a fat woman myself, I wish I could've had this representation when I was growing up. Lily's passion for art was so lovely to see and her fears of painting people because it's like revealing your innermost feelings about them felt so real and relatable to me, even as a not arty person! Cassie, her best friend, was so much fun! She sews her own clothes from old scraps of fabric (we love a sustainable queen) and doodles the people who buy ice cream from her family's ice cream stand. Seeing their friendship grow through the book was so cute and I loved how they always rooted for each other! I also really loved Cal - he's one of the most genuinely kind and caring male characters I've read in a long time. The way he reassured Lily about her body and how he loved her was really something I needed to read and I'm so happy that young girls will finally get to be able to read it while they're growing up too.
This didn't seem like a plot heavy book to me, which I really don't mind, I'm a character driven book kinda gal anyway, but the little plot twists (hello Señor Mango Sorbet!) had me audibly gasping! The complicated, yet healthy, family relationships in this book was also something I really loved - Lily and Daisy's mum was so sweet! Of course, the book deals with fatph
obia, biphobia and xenophobia, which I think was dealt with very well. The fatphobia, for me, was quite difficult to read at times, but really showed how, what may seem like insignificant phrases to other people, can be really hurtful to fat people. Although, as a lesbian, I can't speak for the bi representation, I did love the slow burn friends to lovers romance. Saying that, although you could see hints of it before Lily realised her own feelings, the 'realisation' that she is bi and in love with her best friend felt very sudden to me. But, as a friends to lovers stan, I'm willing to let it slide!
Overall, I really, really loved and appreciated this book and I'm so shocked by how underrated it is (cue me never shutting up about it again!). I cannot recommend it enough for a cute, Summer read that also deals with some hard hitting topics in an accessible and respectful way!
Tw: homophobia, biphobia, fatphobia, xenophobia, racism
lunaxlore's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 rounded up to a 4 for this lovely fat, queer finding-yourself story!
Thanks so much to Macmillan Children’s Books, Bethany Rutter, and NetGalley for providing me with an eArc of this title! I knew I had to request this book when I read that it featured a fat protagonist who actually – gasp! – likes her body most of the time! And that adorable cover – can’t forget the draw of a good cover design. Minor warnings for mentions of fatphobia, homophobia, racism – but dealt with sensitively throughout.
Read the full review here: https://narrativelyyoursblog.wordpress.com/2020/07/17/melt-my-heart-by-bethany-rutter-book-review/
Thanks so much to Macmillan Children’s Books, Bethany Rutter, and NetGalley for providing me with an eArc of this title! I knew I had to request this book when I read that it featured a fat protagonist who actually – gasp! – likes her body most of the time! And that adorable cover – can’t forget the draw of a good cover design. Minor warnings for mentions of fatphobia, homophobia, racism – but dealt with sensitively throughout.
Read the full review here: https://narrativelyyoursblog.wordpress.com/2020/07/17/melt-my-heart-by-bethany-rutter-book-review/
slinkmalink's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0