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theespressoedition's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
4.5
I just want to give Kara McDowell a massive hug right now for writing an adorable YA romance based on While You Were Sleeping. I can't imagine this was unintentional and it made my heart so dang happy.
I listened to the entire audiobook in one morning because it was just such fun! It was filled with fantastic nods to the movie - from the nurse thinking Gemma is the girlfriend after overhearing her mutter to herself at the hospital, to the "leaning" scene (which... ICONIC).
What made this book extra special was the social anxiety rep. Anxiety is something Kara does a great job writing about and it's what drew me to One Way or Another a few winters back. Yet again, I was blown away by how well it was navigated in this book and how truly seen it made me feel, as someone who also struggles with anxiety on a daily basis.
The character development in this was really wonderful and I loved seeing how everyone was able to not necessarily "overcome" their challenges, but find ways to put them in perspective or have help walking through them. It's so encouraging to see books written like this!
I truly want to shout about this from the rooftops. It was so cute and so creative and just so much fun while also having so much depth. SO, you should read it too!
I listened to the entire audiobook in one morning because it was just such fun! It was filled with fantastic nods to the movie - from the nurse thinking Gemma is the girlfriend after overhearing her mutter to herself at the hospital, to the "leaning" scene (which... ICONIC).
What made this book extra special was the social anxiety rep. Anxiety is something Kara does a great job writing about and it's what drew me to One Way or Another a few winters back. Yet again, I was blown away by how well it was navigated in this book and how truly seen it made me feel, as someone who also struggles with anxiety on a daily basis.
The character development in this was really wonderful and I loved seeing how everyone was able to not necessarily "overcome" their challenges, but find ways to put them in perspective or have help walking through them. It's so encouraging to see books written like this!
I truly want to shout about this from the rooftops. It was so cute and so creative and just so much fun while also having so much depth. SO, you should read it too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Injury/Injury detail
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