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kells_'s review against another edition
5.0
It's fucking 4 am and I just finished this. I'm devastated. Review to come cuz WTF AHHHH (THE GOOD WTF NOT THE BAD)
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(after a 10 hr sleep...) Yk what I think really makes a good book? When it makes you feel something, when it makes you feel strong emotions. I guess that doesn't apply to the shitty books that make you feel disgusted and pissed though. I think it's been awhile since I really fangirled over a book like this while reading it. I think it's been awhile since a book rlly tugged on my heartstrings like this.
Picture this: me reading this on my laptop way past midnight, constantly taking deep breaths, clenching my fingers, covering my mouth, smiling hard like an idiot, trying to keep quiet to not wake up my parents, making annotations and keyboard jamming, rereading certain parts multiple times, text screaming to my friends in our group chat at like 2am when they don't even have a clue abt this book
It's shocking even to myself that I'm giving a book book (that's not a manga or collection of poetry) 5 stars. Ik what I dislike. I'm not someone who gives 5s to a book book easily! But I seriously devoured this book and now that I've finished it I feel empty inside like??? Ann Liang?? Ann how could u do this to me??? I don't want to make this review too long so I'm gonna try to encapsulate things simply.
EXTREMELY ADORABLE, GREAT CHARACTERIZATION, ADDRESSES IDENTITY ISSUES, GOOD REPRESENTATION OF CHINESE CULTURE, LOVE THE POP CULTURE REFERENCES, GREAT PROGRESSION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP (I felt like we were on the journey w them and it made sense), SQUEAL-WORTHY MOMENTS, CAZ + ELIZA FTW oops... I don't think that was that simple...
Idk how I'm gonna get over this. Absolutely devastated. I even changed my phone lockscreen to one of the bonus lockscreens Ann put on her website for this book (it was formerly a picture of my bias/fav member of skz so that's how yk it's serious). I'm even listening to the book's spotify playlist while writing this.
Just FUCKING READ THIS YALL. (link below is to the author's website with her bonus content for this book!)
https://www.annliang.com/this-time-its-real
Song I think would suit this story: phobia by skz :)
The figure of you facing the wavering sky
Can I get a little closer to you today?
But somehow I’m anxious, afraid of you getting farther away
Ah, I’m usually not like this though
The thoughts inside my head are all tangled
It’s too much, I can’t think of anything else
Don’t know why I’m like this
Even when I act like nothing’s wrong
My heart’s racing like it’s about to burst
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(after a 10 hr sleep...) Yk what I think really makes a good book? When it makes you feel something, when it makes you feel strong emotions. I guess that doesn't apply to the shitty books that make you feel disgusted and pissed though. I think it's been awhile since I really fangirled over a book like this while reading it. I think it's been awhile since a book rlly tugged on my heartstrings like this.
Picture this: me reading this on my laptop way past midnight, constantly taking deep breaths, clenching my fingers, covering my mouth, smiling hard like an idiot, trying to keep quiet to not wake up my parents, making annotations and keyboard jamming, rereading certain parts multiple times, text screaming to my friends in our group chat at like 2am when they don't even have a clue abt this book
It's shocking even to myself that I'm giving a book book (that's not a manga or collection of poetry) 5 stars. Ik what I dislike. I'm not someone who gives 5s to a book book easily! But I seriously devoured this book and now that I've finished it I feel empty inside like??? Ann Liang?? Ann how could u do this to me??? I don't want to make this review too long so I'm gonna try to encapsulate things simply.
EXTREMELY ADORABLE, GREAT CHARACTERIZATION, ADDRESSES IDENTITY ISSUES, GOOD REPRESENTATION OF CHINESE CULTURE, LOVE THE POP CULTURE REFERENCES, GREAT PROGRESSION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP (I felt like we were on the journey w them and it made sense), SQUEAL-WORTHY MOMENTS, CAZ + ELIZA FTW oops... I don't think that was that simple...
Idk how I'm gonna get over this. Absolutely devastated. I even changed my phone lockscreen to one of the bonus lockscreens Ann put on her website for this book (it was formerly a picture of my bias/fav member of skz so that's how yk it's serious). I'm even listening to the book's spotify playlist while writing this.
Just FUCKING READ THIS YALL. (link below is to the author's website with her bonus content for this book!)
https://www.annliang.com/this-time-its-real
Song I think would suit this story: phobia by skz :)
The figure of you facing the wavering sky
Can I get a little closer to you today?
But somehow I’m anxious, afraid of you getting farther away
Ah, I’m usually not like this though
The thoughts inside my head are all tangled
It’s too much, I can’t think of anything else
Don’t know why I’m like this
Even when I act like nothing’s wrong
My heart’s racing like it’s about to burst
avadawson08's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? Yes
4.25
This gives such Lynn Painter vibes I loved it. The banter. The fake dating. One of us is famous. He rides a motorcycle. Absolutely ate this up.
+ Eliza is so relatable and I LOVE Caz. They had such good chemistry.
Wish we saw the reactions to her new essay
+ Eliza is so relatable and I LOVE Caz. They had such good chemistry.
Wish we saw the reactions to her new essay
marianna23111's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ri_ri's review against another edition
4.0
"When you care about someone, you want to be inconvenienced—you wouldn’t mind being inconvenienced by them every day for the rest of your life. That’s what love is. That’s all love really is."
This story and it's characters hits home. Once in a while you come across the books and characters that made you feel all kinds of emotions and you could relate to them truly and emotionally. It heals you and gives you hope all at the same time. This book was that book for me.
This book was purely beautiful. It is full of hope, humour, love, emotion, healing, friendship, family, vulnerability and so many fluff and cute adorable moments between Caz and Eliza. This was like super cute and enjoyable and the characters were so much relatable especially Eliza. I loved absolutely everything about this book. From fake dating concept to knowing the meaning of 'Home'. It was perfect. I never expected to like it this much.
Ann Liang perfectly shows the challenges of living in different countries while growing up and making your dreams a reality while going through so much in your life, and all the while finding a place and people that feels like home.
I liked Eliza's family dynamics and how her family always spend some time together by watching dramas and talking about each other's day and some random stuff. These kind of small moments and efforts are what makes a family. I also loved Eliza's relationship with her mother and her younger sister. How they always comforted each other with love and humour.
I love how Eliza and Caz slowly and steadily fell in love all while doing those "Chemistry Experiments". Eliza never believed in love but somehow Caz helped her to understand that she can also have a romantic relationship and she just needs to believe in herself. They both were so cute and are made for each other. They comforted each other and it was purely beautiful to watch them fell in love. And their banter was hilarious
This story and it's characters hits home. Once in a while you come across the books and characters that made you feel all kinds of emotions and you could relate to them truly and emotionally. It heals you and gives you hope all at the same time. This book was that book for me.
This book was purely beautiful. It is full of hope, humour, love, emotion, healing, friendship, family, vulnerability and so many fluff and cute adorable moments between Caz and Eliza. This was like super cute and enjoyable and the characters were so much relatable especially Eliza. I loved absolutely everything about this book. From fake dating concept to knowing the meaning of 'Home'. It was perfect. I never expected to like it this much.
Ann Liang perfectly shows the challenges of living in different countries while growing up and making your dreams a reality while going through so much in your life, and all the while finding a place and people that feels like home.
"Home for them was one piece, one place, not something scattered all around the globe, fragmented into something barely recognizable."
I liked Eliza's family dynamics and how her family always spend some time together by watching dramas and talking about each other's day and some random stuff. These kind of small moments and efforts are what makes a family. I also loved Eliza's relationship with her mother and her younger sister. How they always comforted each other with love and humour.
I love how Eliza and Caz slowly and steadily fell in love all while doing those "Chemistry Experiments". Eliza never believed in love but somehow Caz helped her to understand that she can also have a romantic relationship and she just needs to believe in herself. They both were so cute and are made for each other. They comforted each other and it was purely beautiful to watch them fell in love. And their banter was hilarious
4leaf_clover's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
jewelled_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.5
"When you care about someone, you want to be inconvenienced—you wouldn’t mind being inconvenienced by them every day for the rest of your life. That’s what love is. That’s all love really is.”
a little cliche, a little cheesy, a whole lot of fun.
would've been a 5 star if not for the ending feeling a bit rushed.
puglord's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.0
chmpgneprcblems's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5.0