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jourdanicus's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-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? No
3.5
The concept of this story was cute - it's what originally drew me to the book. I can't really comment on the execution because I'm sure there are a lot of different ways to write a "split fate/destiny" story.
To me, there was not nearly enough tension or conflict in the plot... Yeah, I do want stories where queer characters are happy, but I think that's possible even with a little drama.
Maybe my problem is that I'm an adult reading YA... I think this would be a good one for younger people who simply want some lighthearted representation on the page. There's just nothing intellectually challenging here.
To me, there was not nearly enough tension or conflict in the plot... Yeah, I do want stories where queer characters are happy, but I think that's possible even with a little drama.
Maybe my problem is that I'm an adult reading YA... I think this would be a good one for younger people who simply want some lighthearted representation on the page. There's just nothing intellectually challenging here.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Self harm, and Sexual content
zombiezami's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Cursing
Minor: Alcohol, Cancer, Self harm, and Abandonment
the_true_monroe's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.5
The concept of forking paths has been fascinating to me ever since I saw the musical If/Then and I actually had no idea this book would be about two different paths a single decision can take you, as I had assumed it would be about a bi girl spending half the summer in NYC and the other in LA. So while I am sure that could have been exciting, I absolutely loved everything about this book!
Natalya is a queer and Jewish (sameeee) teen living in NYC with her dad, and does not have much of a relationship with her mom who lives in California.
I HATE making decisions so when I saw Natalya struggling to decide if she should venture out and stay with her mom in LA or stay where she is with her dad in NYC, I related a whole lot. But while we do get the story of her summer in NYC, we ALSO get the story of her summer in LA as some other version of herself indeed did make that decision.
Both paths have so many different experiences but also the author seamlessly incorporates some of the same core moments into both timelines which was super impressive and made me appreciate this writing style even more.
Also, in terms of queer joy and living authentically, this book has plenty, in both versions of Natalya’s summer!!
Natalya is a queer and Jewish (sameeee) teen living in NYC with her dad, and does not have much of a relationship with her mom who lives in California.
I HATE making decisions so when I saw Natalya struggling to decide if she should venture out and stay with her mom in LA or stay where she is with her dad in NYC, I related a whole lot. But while we do get the story of her summer in NYC, we ALSO get the story of her summer in LA as some other version of herself indeed did make that decision.
Both paths have so many different experiences but also the author seamlessly incorporates some of the same core moments into both timelines which was super impressive and made me appreciate this writing style even more.
Also, in terms of queer joy and living authentically, this book has plenty, in both versions of Natalya’s summer!!
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm
obscurepages's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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? No
4.0
OKAY IT'S OFFICIAL. Dahlia Adler is a genius in queer YA romcoms 😭😂
This book is so so good. The two alternate timelines shouldn't have worked, but it did, and it's an incredible thing to witness. Both timelines connected with the MCs character arc well, and the parallels in specific pivotal scenes are so good! In one timeline music is a big part of her life, in the other, it's food. In both timelines we see her fixing her relationship with her mother, and we see her struggle and realize her passion. In both timelines we see her fall in love and discover two different kinds of romance. The author aced the writing styles in both timelines for sure.
Also loved how this book navigated through being queer and religious at the same time. I also learned a lot about Jewish customs and practices here, which I really appreciated!
Overall this book was just fun and wildly entertaining. Did I hope for some magical twist at the end? Maybe?? Like all of it was a dream and only one timeline is real 😂 But if there's anything this book has taught me is that we make our choices and those choices lead us to exactly where we need to be. This book showed that perfectly well.
ALSO WAS THAT A CAMEO WITH AMBER AND JACK FROM HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE?!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Self harm
rez's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm
eas2's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm
alliemikennareads's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Going Bicoastal is a parallel timeline, queer, Jewish YA coming of age romance that’s super fun. I adored Cool for the Summer so I was excited to read this and didn’t look up the book, so I wasn’t aware of the different timeline aspect before I started reading. I’m glad I didn’t know because that would have given me second thoughts and it works so well in this book. The small overlapping details between both are knit together so well that the story keeps moving so satisfyingly - it’s expertly done. The ending was such a nice touch too.
The whole book also has chaotic bisexual energy. We love to see it.
These characters have great personality and depth - I felt like I really got to know and enjoy them and I’d read many of their stories.
Bonus points for all the food aspects of this book - it had my mouth watering regularly and was extra fun.
Overall this is a really light and lovely story with a unique premise that unfolds in a super engaging way. I had a hard time putting it down and would definitely recommend it!
TW: Self-harm
The whole book also has chaotic bisexual energy. We love to see it.
These characters have great personality and depth - I felt like I really got to know and enjoy them and I’d read many of their stories.
Bonus points for all the food aspects of this book - it had my mouth watering regularly and was extra fun.
Overall this is a really light and lovely story with a unique premise that unfolds in a super engaging way. I had a hard time putting it down and would definitely recommend it!
TW: Self-harm
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm
shelvesofivy's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
4.5
[Thank you Wednesday Books for the arc!]
Okay, so I technically got this arc a few months ago and kept on dragging my feet because I wasn't sure what to expect with the sliding doors style story (and because YA contemporary has admittedly been pretty hit-or-miss for me lately). But once I finally got myself to start, it was hard to put down!! The combination of fast pacing and alternating timeliness made it all pretty bingeable—I literally finished the last 50% of this book in one evening and am writing this review at midnight. And if it weren't for life responsibilities, I probably could have finished the whole thing in a day or two.
There was so much to love about this story! First and foremost, I think that Natalya is the perfect disaster bi icon and such a mood. I, too, am hopelessly indecisive. She was both so relatable (especially when it came to her art, her doubts and fears about the future, and her slightly awkward disposition), and yet way cooler than I was at seventeen 😅 But it all made her such a fun protagonist!
I will confess that, because I had a favorite between the love interests, I found myself slightly zoning out while reading chapters with the other one. And I don't think that anything was done particularly poorly with that other one; there were in fact many adorable and swoon-worthy scenes in both timelines. (Folks, find someone who puts in the effort to learn about you and the things that matter the most to you!! 🥺)
I was just way more invested in both the development of feelings and overall storyline going on with one side over the other. (I also felt a little bit guilty about this, because I get the feeling that we're supposed to see that there was no wrong decision for Natalya. But I digress.)
This book also made me hungry with all of the amazing food descriptions 😋
Ultimately, this made for a super fun and unique reading experience! I could definitely see myself doing rereads with just one timeline at a time to get an entirely different pace and viewpoint for each one ♡
Final side note: I absolutely knew it aboutEvan and Mateo and was so so happy to get that confirmation at the end 😌 I love winning 💕
Okay, so I technically got this arc a few months ago and kept on dragging my feet because I wasn't sure what to expect with the sliding doors style story (and because YA contemporary has admittedly been pretty hit-or-miss for me lately). But once I finally got myself to start, it was hard to put down!! The combination of fast pacing and alternating timeliness made it all pretty bingeable—I literally finished the last 50% of this book in one evening and am writing this review at midnight. And if it weren't for life responsibilities, I probably could have finished the whole thing in a day or two.
There was so much to love about this story! First and foremost, I think that Natalya is the perfect disaster bi icon and such a mood. I, too, am hopelessly indecisive. She was both so relatable (especially when it came to her art, her doubts and fears about the future, and her slightly awkward disposition), and yet way cooler than I was at seventeen 😅 But it all made her such a fun protagonist!
I will confess that, because I had a favorite between the love interests, I found myself slightly zoning out while reading chapters with the other one. And I don't think that anything was done particularly poorly with that other one; there were in fact many adorable and swoon-worthy scenes in both timelines. (Folks, find someone who puts in the effort to learn about you and the things that matter the most to you!! 🥺)
I was just way more invested in both the development of feelings and overall storyline going on with one side over the other. (I also felt a little bit guilty about this, because I get the feeling that we're supposed to see that there was no wrong decision for Natalya. But I digress.)
This book also made me hungry with all of the amazing food descriptions 😋
Ultimately, this made for a super fun and unique reading experience! I could definitely see myself doing rereads with just one timeline at a time to get an entirely different pace and viewpoint for each one ♡
Final side note: I absolutely knew it about
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol and Sexual content
Minor: Mental illness, Drug use, and Self harm
lqvekanej's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
5.0
Thank you to Wednesday Books via NetGalley for the ARC of this book!
cw // past self-harm (mentioned), divorce
This was my most looked-forward to book of the year, and I can say without question that I was not disappointed. Adler did such an excellent job and had me so invested in both of Nat’s relationships so heavily, I could never even begin to even think of choosing a favorite between Adam and Elly. The amount of pop culture references was just right for a group of 17/18 year olds and I was THRILLED to see Nat having a group of queer friends in NYC, it made me so soft. Nat’s family being so accepting of her bisexuality was so beautiful, and I really enjoyed both her relationship with her dad and their neighbor, Adira, as well as seeing her relationship with her mom grow. What an amazing book.
cw // past self-harm (mentioned), divorce
This was my most looked-forward to book of the year, and I can say without question that I was not disappointed. Adler did such an excellent job and had me so invested in both of Nat’s relationships so heavily, I could never even begin to even think of choosing a favorite between Adam and Elly. The amount of pop culture references was just right for a group of 17/18 year olds and I was THRILLED to see Nat having a group of queer friends in NYC, it made me so soft. Nat’s family being so accepting of her bisexuality was so beautiful, and I really enjoyed both her relationship with her dad and their neighbor, Adira, as well as seeing her relationship with her mom grow. What an amazing book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Natalya Fox has a decision to make about her summer: stay with her dad in New York, or spend time with her mom in Los Angeles. Both have their pros and cons, but with only 24 hours to make the decision, Natalya is struggling.
Since Natalya can't choose, both timelines play out in a choose your own adventure kind of style book. We get to see what happens in LA and in NY, both with different romances and different options for her future. And at the end, you get to decide: which way did Natalya go?
Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday books for an advanced copy of Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler to review! Always a fan of Dahlia Adler, so I was excited to pick this one up! And I am happy to say that I wasn't dissapointed.
I would like to note, I didn't notice the part about both timelines playing out and I was a bit confused at the beginning. But once I got into the groove, it was smooth sailing. This book is a bit like getting two books in one, both with adorable romances to boot. Nat's summer in NY is all about music, and her summer in LA is all about food. What isn't to like about that?
Even though it is two separate stories, they both feel evenly developed, in that I didn't feel like one story suffered at the expense of the other. Both had great side characters, and we get to see Nat's character development in different (but also kind of similar ways). It's actually a good example of excellent writing! And really, I'd recommend it just for that.
If you're looking for a fun, different YA queer romance to read this summer, I'd definitely recommend checking this one out.
Since Natalya can't choose, both timelines play out in a choose your own adventure kind of style book. We get to see what happens in LA and in NY, both with different romances and different options for her future. And at the end, you get to decide: which way did Natalya go?
Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday books for an advanced copy of Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler to review! Always a fan of Dahlia Adler, so I was excited to pick this one up! And I am happy to say that I wasn't dissapointed.
I would like to note, I didn't notice the part about both timelines playing out and I was a bit confused at the beginning. But once I got into the groove, it was smooth sailing. This book is a bit like getting two books in one, both with adorable romances to boot. Nat's summer in NY is all about music, and her summer in LA is all about food. What isn't to like about that?
Even though it is two separate stories, they both feel evenly developed, in that I didn't feel like one story suffered at the expense of the other. Both had great side characters, and we get to see Nat's character development in different (but also kind of similar ways). It's actually a good example of excellent writing! And really, I'd recommend it just for that.
If you're looking for a fun, different YA queer romance to read this summer, I'd definitely recommend checking this one out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Abandonment and Sexual content
Minor: Self harm and Alcohol