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liralen's review against another edition
3.0
I remember, vaguely, the world of fandom from when I was a teen—not that I was ever on anything but the (far, far, far) outskirts of any fandom, but the exchanges here feel so very real to those online interactions: such strong opinions and lack of capital letters and intense friendships that burn fast and bright and run the risk of flaming out early.
There's a lot going on here—Gena's life and Finn's life and the fandom and the actual show and mental health and an accident and a relationship with grey boundaries. I sort of love that last part: that they're partly trying to figure out what to do with these intense feelings, but there's never a question of identity. I was much less a fan of the Big Dramatics in the book (the plot took a rather unexpected turn), and I'm left wondering what might have happened—how much they might, or might not, have learned about each other in other circumstances. (I remember reading another epistolary novel, a long long time ago, in which the characters met briefly in person and then communicated solely by email and instant messaging and the like for months...and then when they met again they realised that they'd been showing only their best selves, or at least particular sides of themselves, through their communications, and they weren't actually all that well suited in person.)
Interesting; not what I expected; not feeling any huge need to read any more about an imaginary fandom any time soon.
There's a lot going on here—Gena's life and Finn's life and the fandom and the actual show and mental health and an accident and a relationship with grey boundaries. I sort of love that last part: that they're partly trying to figure out what to do with these intense feelings, but there's never a question of identity. I was much less a fan of the Big Dramatics in the book (the plot took a rather unexpected turn), and I'm left wondering what might have happened—how much they might, or might not, have learned about each other in other circumstances. (I remember reading another epistolary novel, a long long time ago, in which the characters met briefly in person and then communicated solely by email and instant messaging and the like for months...and then when they met again they realised that they'd been showing only their best selves, or at least particular sides of themselves, through their communications, and they weren't actually all that well suited in person.)
Interesting; not what I expected; not feeling any huge need to read any more about an imaginary fandom any time soon.
mlatrece's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fast read for me, but I think it will be that way with anyone who reads the book. Instead of chapters the book storyline of the characters is being told via tumblr style journal entries, emails and texts. I admit when it came to Twilight and Harry Potter I was in totally fandom so I can relate to the characters Gena and Finn. I met my best friend through our obsession with Twilight. So, I can see how easily you can form a friendship. But then Gena and Finn relationship turns to questioning their sexuality. While, its mention in the book I wish it was explored more. This book can get intense but you will also laugh a lot with it.
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
rachana's review against another edition
5.0
*This review was originally posted on Spun!
I bought an ebook copy of Gena/Finn on a whim because it was on sale but when I finally started reading it, I couldn't put it down! The book is about Gena and Finn who meet online because they belong to the same fandom. As their offline lives get messy, they get closer to each other. I, personally, didn't completely understand the nature of their relationship. At times they seemed to me more than friends but towards the end, that attraction kind of dissipated..This also led me to wonder whether both characters were bisexual.
The way the book was narrated through blog posts, journal entries, texts, and the like was refreshing. I particularly liked the sections of the book that consisted of messages exchanged between Gena and Finn. I found their interactions quite interesting because they're two characters who are at very different points in their life. Gena is going to start college soon and Finn has finished college but is now struggling to get a job. Both of their struggles felt very relatable and I was rooting for them to get their damn happy ending....which is why the ending of Gena/Finn really disappointed me. The plot twist was shocking and alright, in some ways, maybe it did make more sense for Gena/Finn to end the way that it did.....but arrgh.
TLDR; Gena/Finn is a must read!
I bought an ebook copy of Gena/Finn on a whim because it was on sale but when I finally started reading it, I couldn't put it down! The book is about Gena and Finn who meet online because they belong to the same fandom. As their offline lives get messy, they get closer to each other. I, personally, didn't completely understand the nature of their relationship. At times they seemed to me more than friends but towards the end, that attraction kind of dissipated..This also led me to wonder whether both characters were bisexual.
The way the book was narrated through blog posts, journal entries, texts, and the like was refreshing. I particularly liked the sections of the book that consisted of messages exchanged between Gena and Finn. I found their interactions quite interesting because they're two characters who are at very different points in their life. Gena is going to start college soon and Finn has finished college but is now struggling to get a job. Both of their struggles felt very relatable and I was rooting for them to get their damn happy ending....which is why the ending of Gena/Finn really disappointed me. The plot twist was shocking and alright, in some ways, maybe it did make more sense for Gena/Finn to end the way that it did.....but arrgh.
TLDR; Gena/Finn is a must read!
newandhorrible's review against another edition
4.0
LOVED IT. I'm a sucker for the format. Emails, texts, LiveJournal-esque comment threads and Tumblr-like notes.
I wasn't as much into part three, where it got real dark REAL FAST, but the relationship felt so real and familiar. I've met many a lifelong friend on the internet because of a fandom, and this rang so true to me.
I wasn't as much into part three, where it got real dark REAL FAST, but the relationship felt so real and familiar. I've met many a lifelong friend on the internet because of a fandom, and this rang so true to me.
katereads2much's review against another edition
The first thing I want to say about "Gena/Finn" is that, in my opinion, the marketing and title did not match the book and that I was set up for an outcome that did not happen and it left me feeling angry and betrayed. If you are a lesbian and/or looking for a wlw story, I strongly encourage you to check out the spoiler a few paragraphs down.
The second is that if you are looking for a light, fluffy read DO NOT, under any circumstances, read this book.
None of this is to say that the book isn't good. It is intense and emotional and honestly real about fangirl experiences though perhaps a little more extreme and complicated than most of us will go through.
It uses blog posts, Tumblr, (sent and unsent) emails, journal entries, poems written by the characters, and text conversations to tell the story and it is one of the best examples I've seen of that kind of storytelling. I've read several books that use those types of vehicles to tell a story, and I don't think I've experienced anyone better able to pull the reader into the story when doing so.
This is a solid book plot, character development, and style wise, but I'm still mad about how I was set up to expect a very different book.
The second is that if you are looking for a light, fluffy read DO NOT, under any circumstances, read this book.
None of this is to say that the book isn't good. It is intense and emotional and honestly real about fangirl experiences though perhaps a little more extreme and complicated than most of us will go through.
It uses blog posts, Tumblr, (sent and unsent) emails, journal entries, poems written by the characters, and text conversations to tell the story and it is one of the best examples I've seen of that kind of storytelling. I've read several books that use those types of vehicles to tell a story, and I don't think I've experienced anyone better able to pull the reader into the story when doing so.
Spoiler
Now, this story does have elements characters of questioning sexuality, etcetera, so it is an LGBT story. One of the girls admits that she does sometimes feel attraction to other ladies. However, these girls do not end up together romantically. Their friendship is one of the most amazing I've seen displayed in fiction, but they don't end up together nor do either of them end up with a woman. Because of that, I felt disappointed in the book and angry for being misled, and it left a bad taste in my mouth, personally. Further, I'm not likely to read more from these authors.This is a solid book plot, character development, and style wise, but I'm still mad about how I was set up to expect a very different book.
linz's review against another edition
4.0
According to the reviews on Goodreads, this book is quite polarizing, with some people loving it and others hating it. I can almost understand the dislike. Almost. The book did make it seem like it was going to go in a different direction at the beginning. It was pretty blatant. But, much like real life, things don't always happen like we hope they will.
In this case, I was a little disappointed in how it turned out, but I still really enjoyed the book. I read it all in one day, almost in one sitting, which hasn't happened in a long time, so I was pretty invested in the story and these characters.
I related to Gena and Finn so much. It was unbelievable just how much. The authors are clearly familiar with the world of fandom, and it felt so immersive.
The story is told through LiveJournal-type journal entries, Tumblr posts, texts, emails, and notebook entries, and while it took a couple of minutes to get used to it, it added so much to the story. One thing I would suggest, though, is to read a physical copy, if possible, because I read the Kindle version, and the formatting was a little messed up at times. But that was a minor problem that didn't take away from the story.
Though it starts off light-hearted enough, with the girls fangirling together, it does take a dark turn about 60% into the story. I wasn't expecting it to get quite so dark, and while I thought it added a deeper element to the story, I feel like it's important to note in case anyone needs to be warned about it.
One of the girls is a fanfic writer, and all good fic writers know that you should properly tag your fics with any warnings that apply to the fic, and this story would need quite a few warning tags. The cover and blurb would make you think it was going to stay fairly light, but there is an element of danger and death, and mental health issues play an important role throughout the book, with the last quarter of the book focusing on it pretty closely.
I really thought the story was going to go in a different direction, and, like I said earlier, I am a little disappointed that it didn't, but I still thought it worked out okay. I don't want to post any spoilers in this review, so I won't get into what I'd hoped would happen, and instead I'll just say that I really enjoyed the book.
Immersive, unique, and well-written, I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a quick and interesting read, especially those who enjoy participating in fandom.
In this case, I was a little disappointed in how it turned out, but I still really enjoyed the book. I read it all in one day, almost in one sitting, which hasn't happened in a long time, so I was pretty invested in the story and these characters.
I related to Gena and Finn so much. It was unbelievable just how much. The authors are clearly familiar with the world of fandom, and it felt so immersive.
The story is told through LiveJournal-type journal entries, Tumblr posts, texts, emails, and notebook entries, and while it took a couple of minutes to get used to it, it added so much to the story. One thing I would suggest, though, is to read a physical copy, if possible, because I read the Kindle version, and the formatting was a little messed up at times. But that was a minor problem that didn't take away from the story.
Though it starts off light-hearted enough, with the girls fangirling together, it does take a dark turn about 60% into the story. I wasn't expecting it to get quite so dark, and while I thought it added a deeper element to the story, I feel like it's important to note in case anyone needs to be warned about it.
One of the girls is a fanfic writer, and all good fic writers know that you should properly tag your fics with any warnings that apply to the fic, and this story would need quite a few warning tags. The cover and blurb would make you think it was going to stay fairly light, but there is an element of danger and death, and mental health issues play an important role throughout the book, with the last quarter of the book focusing on it pretty closely.
I really thought the story was going to go in a different direction, and, like I said earlier, I am a little disappointed that it didn't, but I still thought it worked out okay. I don't want to post any spoilers in this review, so I won't get into what I'd hoped would happen, and instead I'll just say that I really enjoyed the book.
Immersive, unique, and well-written, I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a quick and interesting read, especially those who enjoy participating in fandom.
lunalavender's review against another edition
2.0
Well. I enjoyed the first half of this book, but then it got all dramatic and it just bummed me out. Not what I wanted to happen at all. :(
eatingfiction's review against another edition
2.0
Oh man, this book had such strong potential.
The format of the novel really intrigued me - and it's what made me want to read it. It's told all through texts, emails, and what are essentially tumblr posts. Honestly, from the very first few pages it really felt like logging onto Tumblr and entering fandom drama. Not something I get involved in but I'd be lying if I said I didn't follow it sometimes. Lol. Anyway, it felt authentic. I would definitely liken this fictional TV show and it's fandom to Supernatural, again, not something I'm involved in but rather I'm on the outskirts. So yeah. Twas good.
Anyway. Yeah. Sorry I'm tired and maybe I'll rewrite this later but I just. ugh anyway
It was super fast paced in it's format, so I literally read this in one sitting. Three hours to be exact. At first I was really enjoying it but...siiiiiiiiiiiiigh. I did not like the direction it took at all. It went from light and fun to DRAMA. EMOTIONAL DRAMA EVERYWHERE
It wasn't entertaining. It wasn't exciting.
IT WAS SO FREAKING DEPRESSING. I DID NOT ENJOY IT AT ALL. It just made me so mad. I came into this book wanting to have FUN not wanting to be emotionally slaughtered. it wasn't even the good kind of emotionally slaughtered, I just wanted to be done with the book so I could get out of the hopeless, boring, FREAKING DEPRESSING story. ARRRRRRRRGH. What was the purpose behind the story?? The message the authors were trying to get across? Because I really don't know. Life sucks?
Sleep now.
The format of the novel really intrigued me - and it's what made me want to read it. It's told all through texts, emails, and what are essentially tumblr posts. Honestly, from the very first few pages it really felt like logging onto Tumblr and entering fandom drama. Not something I get involved in but I'd be lying if I said I didn't follow it sometimes. Lol. Anyway, it felt authentic. I would definitely liken this fictional TV show and it's fandom to Supernatural, again, not something I'm involved in but rather I'm on the outskirts. So yeah. Twas good.
Anyway. Yeah. Sorry I'm tired and maybe I'll rewrite this later but I just. ugh anyway
It was super fast paced in it's format, so I literally read this in one sitting. Three hours to be exact. At first I was really enjoying it but...siiiiiiiiiiiiigh. I did not like the direction it took at all. It went from light and fun to DRAMA. EMOTIONAL DRAMA EVERYWHERE
It wasn't entertaining. It wasn't exciting.
IT WAS SO FREAKING DEPRESSING. I DID NOT ENJOY IT AT ALL. It just made me so mad. I came into this book wanting to have FUN not wanting to be emotionally slaughtered. it wasn't even the good kind of emotionally slaughtered, I just wanted to be done with the book so I could get out of the hopeless, boring, FREAKING DEPRESSING story. ARRRRRRRRGH. What was the purpose behind the story?? The message the authors were trying to get across? Because I really don't know. Life sucks?
Sleep now.
nicolemarcell's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
About a month ago, I was desperately searching the library near my apartment for a light and easy book: in other words, I was looking for a book that would distract me from my finals, but also not be so distracting that I wouldn’t get any studying done. I wanted light and fluffy, and when I saw Gena/Finn on the shelves and remembered that it was a book about fandom, it seemed like a perfect fit. If it was going to be anything like Rainbow Rowell’s [book:Fangirl|16068905] or Danika Stone’s [book:All the Feels|29222548], then it would be sweet and lovely — perfect for finals week.
Well, amazingly enough, I was actually responsible during finals week and didn’t read it then; instead, I read Gena/Finn one night all in one sitting, partially because I couldn’t sleep, but mainly because it was due at the library the next day and I didn’t want to return it without finishing it. Obviously, I enjoyed it enough to stay up half the night reading it, though I never found myself really, really loving it; and then, as the book progressed, I actually found myself liking it less and less until I found myself unable to give it anything other than 2.5 stars.
Let’s start with the good, because there are a lot of good things in this book. For starters: I really, really loved this formating. It felt like a modern day epistolary novel: this book is told entirely through blog posts, emails, letters, texts, journal entries, and online chats, yet somehow, it still manages to really flesh out an intricate story with complex characters pretty effectively. Sure, there were certainly times where I wished that it would tell the story in a more standard way, especially in the beginning when I was still having trouble telling the main characters apart; but after a while — once I pinned down who everyone was and really got into the flow of the story — it became a real highlight of the story for me. It made the story feel unique and real in a way that no other format could achieve: it looked exactly like every online friendship I ever had, and I don’t think the connection I felt to the characters would have been as strong if the novel had been written any way else.
The beginning of the book is definitely my favorite part of this book: it was so light and fun, but just serious enough that you could see a real friendship blooming between Gena and Finn. It felt real and important — it felt very much like a real online friendship. I loved seeing how they slowly got to know each other and become more wrapped up in each other’s lives. I love how it slowly turned into more, how it started to feel like love, and how Moskowitz and Helgeson talked about this love: sometimes, we don’t know how or why it forms, or what it means exactly, but it is there, and it is just as tangible and real online as it is off.
And then it started to get a bit weird.
See, this book started out very light — funny, sweet, but a little serious to give it some depth. But about halfway through the book, it started to get very, very serious. Things got extremely heavy, there was PTSD and emotional break downs, and this cute little book suddenly became very emotional and deep. Normally, I might like that, but in this case? I was just — I was not into it.
First of all, it felt — kind of out of nowhere? Like, here is this cute story with typical college kid problems and lots of fangirling that suddenly turns into a kind of horror show with death and despair and a whole lot of emotions that I didn’t sign up for. I realize that this may have been the point — life can shit on people out of nowhere, and there is no foreshadowing — but it also just felt strange and out of place. It felt like it was just sort of thrown in there to give the story some depth, but it already had a lot of depth: the conversation about love was deep enough, and throwing some tragedy in to make a statement only detracted from that.
Perhaps more importantly, it was at this point in the novel where my love for the characters really started to go downhill — especially for Finn. Initially, I had really loved them and connected with them, but after the tragedy, Finn really revealed herself to be someone I didn’t like. She seemed to care more about fandom than real life people, and while I understand that fandom can be incredibly consuming, it should not outweigh concern for real human lives. And what’s worse — she never seemed to learn any different. She struggled with it, but there was no real conclusion that real life people are more important than characters on a TV show. This side of her was revealed by a tragedy that felt unnecessary and completely pulled me away from her.
While we are on the subject (spoiler warning): it felt like Gena was very suddenly and magically healed from her PTSD in a way that felt fake and a bit problematic. Sure, quite some time had passed between the tragedy and her recovery, but show that healing. I was annoyed that Moskowitz and Helgeson would include PTSD without really discussing it; it felt like it was there for shock factor and intrigue more than to actually talk about it, which is beyond frustrating.
Overall, I have very mixed feelings about Gena/Finn. On the one hand, it started out as a unique and adorable story about an online friendship that was just as deep and connected as any friendship in the real world. I was incredibly attached to the characters and their problems and felt that it really reflected how online friendships and fandom function. On the other hand, as the book progressed, it fell into an unnecessary and over the top tragedy that turned Finn into someone I didn’t like and hurt Gena only to magically heal her after an entire section of cringe-worthy poetry. I wish that Moskowitz and Helgeson had stuck to their message on love and its different forms, but that is not the case. So, I don’t think I would really recommend this book to anyone, unless you were really desperate for a fandom related read. Otherwise, maybe try Fangirl or All the Feels.
About a month ago, I was desperately searching the library near my apartment for a light and easy book: in other words, I was looking for a book that would distract me from my finals, but also not be so distracting that I wouldn’t get any studying done. I wanted light and fluffy, and when I saw Gena/Finn on the shelves and remembered that it was a book about fandom, it seemed like a perfect fit. If it was going to be anything like Rainbow Rowell’s [book:Fangirl|16068905] or Danika Stone’s [book:All the Feels|29222548], then it would be sweet and lovely — perfect for finals week.
Well, amazingly enough, I was actually responsible during finals week and didn’t read it then; instead, I read Gena/Finn one night all in one sitting, partially because I couldn’t sleep, but mainly because it was due at the library the next day and I didn’t want to return it without finishing it. Obviously, I enjoyed it enough to stay up half the night reading it, though I never found myself really, really loving it; and then, as the book progressed, I actually found myself liking it less and less until I found myself unable to give it anything other than 2.5 stars.
Let’s start with the good, because there are a lot of good things in this book. For starters: I really, really loved this formating. It felt like a modern day epistolary novel: this book is told entirely through blog posts, emails, letters, texts, journal entries, and online chats, yet somehow, it still manages to really flesh out an intricate story with complex characters pretty effectively. Sure, there were certainly times where I wished that it would tell the story in a more standard way, especially in the beginning when I was still having trouble telling the main characters apart; but after a while — once I pinned down who everyone was and really got into the flow of the story — it became a real highlight of the story for me. It made the story feel unique and real in a way that no other format could achieve: it looked exactly like every online friendship I ever had, and I don’t think the connection I felt to the characters would have been as strong if the novel had been written any way else.
The beginning of the book is definitely my favorite part of this book: it was so light and fun, but just serious enough that you could see a real friendship blooming between Gena and Finn. It felt real and important — it felt very much like a real online friendship. I loved seeing how they slowly got to know each other and become more wrapped up in each other’s lives. I love how it slowly turned into more, how it started to feel like love, and how Moskowitz and Helgeson talked about this love: sometimes, we don’t know how or why it forms, or what it means exactly, but it is there, and it is just as tangible and real online as it is off.
And then it started to get a bit weird.
See, this book started out very light — funny, sweet, but a little serious to give it some depth. But about halfway through the book, it started to get very, very serious. Things got extremely heavy, there was PTSD and emotional break downs, and this cute little book suddenly became very emotional and deep. Normally, I might like that, but in this case? I was just — I was not into it.
First of all, it felt — kind of out of nowhere? Like, here is this cute story with typical college kid problems and lots of fangirling that suddenly turns into a kind of horror show with death and despair and a whole lot of emotions that I didn’t sign up for. I realize that this may have been the point — life can shit on people out of nowhere, and there is no foreshadowing — but it also just felt strange and out of place. It felt like it was just sort of thrown in there to give the story some depth, but it already had a lot of depth: the conversation about love was deep enough, and throwing some tragedy in to make a statement only detracted from that.
Perhaps more importantly, it was at this point in the novel where my love for the characters really started to go downhill — especially for Finn. Initially, I had really loved them and connected with them, but after the tragedy, Finn really revealed herself to be someone I didn’t like. She seemed to care more about fandom than real life people, and while I understand that fandom can be incredibly consuming, it should not outweigh concern for real human lives. And what’s worse — she never seemed to learn any different. She struggled with it, but there was no real conclusion that real life people are more important than characters on a TV show. This side of her was revealed by a tragedy that felt unnecessary and completely pulled me away from her.
While we are on the subject (spoiler warning): it felt like Gena was very suddenly and magically healed from her PTSD in a way that felt fake and a bit problematic. Sure, quite some time had passed between the tragedy and her recovery, but show that healing. I was annoyed that Moskowitz and Helgeson would include PTSD without really discussing it; it felt like it was there for shock factor and intrigue more than to actually talk about it, which is beyond frustrating.
Overall, I have very mixed feelings about Gena/Finn. On the one hand, it started out as a unique and adorable story about an online friendship that was just as deep and connected as any friendship in the real world. I was incredibly attached to the characters and their problems and felt that it really reflected how online friendships and fandom function. On the other hand, as the book progressed, it fell into an unnecessary and over the top tragedy that turned Finn into someone I didn’t like and hurt Gena only to magically heal her after an entire section of cringe-worthy poetry. I wish that Moskowitz and Helgeson had stuck to their message on love and its different forms, but that is not the case. So, I don’t think I would really recommend this book to anyone, unless you were really desperate for a fandom related read. Otherwise, maybe try Fangirl or All the Feels.