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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
challenging
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Joya always writes the cutest YA books. I’ve read all three of her books and she is the only writer I will consistently read YA from.
This book had more tension than some adult romances I’ve read which is wild considering it’s YA. I loved Mal and Nikki. The way Mal was always willing to do anything to make Nikki feel safe touched my heart.
I kept having to remind myself that Nikki was a teenager because her logic kept pissing me off. Never in the book was there ever a discussion of what would happen if she didn’t get the gig. Like it wasn’t even a possibility. I also thought this was gonna go a different way and the audition was gonna be a scam.
I have mixed feelings about her mom changing all of sudden. I guess from the way it was written, I didn’t see Mal’s parents’ opinions changing her that much. But I’m glad they were working towards a better relationship. I also loved how Mal’s parents were written. A spoiled Black teenager that wasn’t mean or selfish was nice to read about.
Overall a very cute read and great palate cleanser. I gave it a 3.75 because I didn’t think it was as good as her other two books and it left me feeling underwhelmed a bit. It took me a while to finish because it felt a little boring compared to her other books.
This book had more tension than some adult romances I’ve read which is wild considering it’s YA. I loved Mal and Nikki. The way Mal was always willing to do anything to make Nikki feel safe touched my heart.
I kept having to remind myself that Nikki was a teenager because her logic kept pissing me off. Never in the book was there ever a discussion of what would happen if she didn’t get the gig. Like it wasn’t even a possibility. I also thought this was gonna go a different way and the audition was gonna be a scam.
I have mixed feelings about her mom changing all of sudden. I guess from the way it was written, I didn’t see Mal’s parents’ opinions changing her that much. But I’m glad they were working towards a better relationship. I also loved how Mal’s parents were written. A spoiled Black teenager that wasn’t mean or selfish was nice to read about.
Overall a very cute read and great palate cleanser. I gave it a 3.75 because I didn’t think it was as good as her other two books and it left me feeling underwhelmed a bit. It took me a while to finish because it felt a little boring compared to her other books.
The fact that generational trauma was handled so beautifully in this book, as well as the general trauma that Mal and Nikki face, is a testament to how good of a book this is. The plot was good, the third act breakup made sense, and everyone felt real. These characters felt relatable and like people I knew.
incredible. joya goffney just keeps getting better.
i love nikki and mal with all my heart and i love the way joya portrays them, i feel like i’m right there with them watching it all happen.
i love nikki and mal with all my heart and i love the way joya portrays them, i feel like i’m right there with them watching it all happen.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Yes
What I thought would be a YA book I could check off my spring list. Became a black girls coming of age story that made me view my relationship with my mom and all the women in my life. While some of it did seem unclear and left you want to know more about all the characters from Yolanda to Mal. The book was a good read overall.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This novel is about a teenager who has a tumultuous relationship with her mother and decides to run away to California. Things I liked: I liked Goffney's writing. I read all three of her YA novels and liked them. I love the found family that was depicted. Also, I loved the friends to lover trope in this novel it was lovely. Things I didn't like: I didn't like how vague the situation with her money was written. At times, it felt a little all over the place. It was a good book I definitely recommend.
emotional
medium-paced
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
i liked the background of the book but idk it was a bit on the boring side for me, a cute romance book though and i liked the idea
Nikki has an audition to join a girl group in California. When she told her best friend Mal, who she’s also crushing on, a wall built between them. He asked another girl to Prom, and Nikki is left angry and running away. She’s not just running to the audition or away from him; she’s also running away from her mother again. All she and her mom do is fight, and this time, her mom kicked her out and is threatening to change the locks. Nikki has to say goodbye to Mal though, and when she confronts him, he somehow convinces her to stay with him for the week of spring break before deciding to leave for good. The book takes place over that week, and the chapters are short snippets of time throughout the week. The short chapters and the dialogue between the characters make this book easily readable. Nikki’s relationship with her mom, her sister, and Mal are all well developed, and readers will be just as invested in Nikki’s decision whether or not to stay in California after her audition as those close to her.