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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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:
No
Prompt 22 - a book about soccer - May 12, 2025 - One of the main characters in this novel goes to a soccer camp for the summer. It's a young adult story about four friends spending the summer apart for the first time since they were born. The author does a great job of capturing the emotional highs and lows of teenagers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness
Minor: Addiction, Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
A reread, I miss them already
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Terminal illness
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I am a sucker for an easy young adult read. Nothing makes my heart happier. When I randomly chose this book out of the pile I smiled at my luck. I have watched this movie years ago and had always wondered if it took liberties with the book or if it followed along. One big plot line went amiss, the casting was a little off, but all in all, not too bad.
I wonder why the casting of Alexis Bledel for Lena in the movie? In the book, Lena is "olive-skinned" reflecting her roots in Greece. Alexis is far from that reflection of the book character. It is always hard to read the book after watching the movie because your brain automatically fills in the faces and characteristics of the actor. I'm not mad about it....just curious....I am mad, however, about leaving the whole plot line of Lena and Kostos. The pond, the nudity, the language barrier, the feud, that's good entertainment. I assume it was trying to keep its PG rating, but it would have made the romance a whole lot more interesting. This plotline in the book had be grinning ear to ear, something that I did not do in the more subdued movie meet-cute.
All in all, I followed along, easily turning pages. I felt Tibby's resentment in life and then renewed interest in living after meeting Bailey. I felt the anger behind a rock thrown through a glass window. I felt the emptiness inside Bridget. All very relatable teenage feelings that were well written in a not too angsty way. The metaphor of a pair of jeans that fits all body types, fits all style requirements, brings a group of friends together, was not lost on me.
What was lost on me was the other plot deviation from the movie. Why did Lena not fly to Bridget's soccer camp in the movie? That was a lost moment on film having been beautifully written in the book. I mean, I thought it a bit unrealistic that a teenage girl can just up and change her flight without checking in with her parents, but, the understanding and depth in this picture of friendship was exactly what the book needed to help wrap things up and I have always felt the movie version of this moment felt a little too superficial.
The one wrap up that I think the movie does better than this book was the storyline of Tibby and Bailey. I was so disappointed to read the weirdness of Mimi at the gravesite and wanting to lay down with them, I get it, it was a great way to punctuate Tibby's renewed zest for living...but in the movie.....the self-recorded insert that Bailey creates.....it really hit home with the heart strings and I was shocked when I got to the end of the book and realized that was a creative direction from Hollywood and not the author.
All in all, this is a super quick read for people who just want a feel-good book that tugs a bit at the heart and the smile. I am looking forward to reading the second one!
I wonder why the casting of Alexis Bledel for Lena in the movie? In the book, Lena is "olive-skinned" reflecting her roots in Greece. Alexis is far from that reflection of the book character. It is always hard to read the book after watching the movie because your brain automatically fills in the faces and characteristics of the actor. I'm not mad about it....just curious....I am mad, however, about leaving the whole plot line of Lena and Kostos. The pond, the nudity, the language barrier, the feud, that's good entertainment. I assume it was trying to keep its PG rating, but it would have made the romance a whole lot more interesting. This plotline in the book had be grinning ear to ear, something that I did not do in the more subdued movie meet-cute.
All in all, I followed along, easily turning pages. I felt Tibby's resentment in life and then renewed interest in living after meeting Bailey. I felt the anger behind a rock thrown through a glass window. I felt the emptiness inside Bridget. All very relatable teenage feelings that were well written in a not too angsty way. The metaphor of a pair of jeans that fits all body types, fits all style requirements, brings a group of friends together, was not lost on me.
What was lost on me was the other plot deviation from the movie. Why did Lena not fly to Bridget's soccer camp in the movie? That was a lost moment on film having been beautifully written in the book. I mean, I thought it a bit unrealistic that a teenage girl can just up and change her flight without checking in with her parents, but, the understanding and depth in this picture of friendship was exactly what the book needed to help wrap things up and I have always felt the movie version of this moment felt a little too superficial.
The one wrap up that I think the movie does better than this book was the storyline of Tibby and Bailey. I was so disappointed to read the weirdness of Mimi at the gravesite and wanting to lay down with them, I get it, it was a great way to punctuate Tibby's renewed zest for living...but in the movie.....the self-recorded insert that Bailey creates.....it really hit home with the heart strings and I was shocked when I got to the end of the book and realized that was a creative direction from Hollywood and not the author.
All in all, this is a super quick read for people who just want a feel-good book that tugs a bit at the heart and the smile. I am looking forward to reading the second one!
emotional
funny
reflective
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:
Yes
I honestly believe this book is for the girls. It was great as a 13 year old and it’s great as a 24 year old
This book just captures coming of age as a teenage girl so well. Sure it’s giving STRONG 2001 vibes but it is nailing the assignment. The girls go through TRAUMATIC stuff and/or big life decisions/events. They deal with absent parents, new step families, first loves, first heartbreaks, death, grief, loss. They do it apart and together. God the friendship in this is amazing. The girls are hardly together this summer but they are still so present and supportive and involved. It’s equal parts becoming your own person and living your own life as well as creating family with your friends.
I love it. I think it’s a young adult staple. I hope teen girls continue to read this for years to come.
((Now I’m going to watch the shitty movie 🥰))
This book just captures coming of age as a teenage girl so well. Sure it’s giving STRONG 2001 vibes but it is nailing the assignment. The girls go through TRAUMATIC stuff and/or big life decisions/events. They deal with absent parents, new step families, first loves, first heartbreaks, death, grief, loss. They do it apart and together. God the friendship in this is amazing. The girls are hardly together this summer but they are still so present and supportive and involved. It’s equal parts becoming your own person and living your own life as well as creating family with your friends.
I love it. I think it’s a young adult staple. I hope teen girls continue to read this for years to come.
((Now I’m going to watch the shitty movie 🥰))
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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:
No
fast-paced
Another round of reading booms popular when I was younger, but I never read.
This was so cute! I’m happy I finally read it and saw what it’s all about. It’s an enjoyable and lighthearted story surrounded around best friends sharing pants. You’d think that would not be intriguing, but oh it was! The dynamic between the four is so sweet. They have such a strong bond!
This was so cute! I’m happy I finally read it and saw what it’s all about. It’s an enjoyable and lighthearted story surrounded around best friends sharing pants. You’d think that would not be intriguing, but oh it was! The dynamic between the four is so sweet. They have such a strong bond!