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sapphicsolace's review against another edition
4.0
4.5. I really enjoyed it! I will say I wasn't too huge on the male protagonist but I liked his character development. I definitely preferred the girl's story and I loved seeing her find herself. I adored her relationship with the love interest (while on her, it made me happy that she was described as having a similar body type to me since you don't really see that described). They felt very realistic and I loved how they actually communicated and there weren't any wacky misunderstandings. I'm not sure if I'll read the first book, it would be nice to know Liam and Ally a little better
Spoiler
Her coming out to her best friend was so sweet. I would've liked to see the scene where she came out to her parents, I feel that's important. I little more parent stuff in general wold've ben nice. And her coming out publicly from her perspective would've been nice too but I guess you can't have everything.rosadelexie's review against another edition
5.0
Between this book and Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour, I'm in desperate need of more stories featuring queer girls in the film industry/Hollywood. I absolutely loved this! At the beginning, I honestly hated every character, but that was my fault for not reading the first book and getting to know the characters beforehand. (Especially Josh, I freaking hated him.) However, I eventually fell in love with every character, even Josh. Vanessa was so great and wonderful and I loved her so much!! Overall, this book was such a fun and interesting read. Now I just have to read the first one!
slc333's review against another edition
4.0
This was not your typical YA/NA romance and for that very reason I loved it. While it was told from the alternating POV's of Josh & Vanessa and Van's story was certainly the most interesting I found myself liking Josh's story more. I don't know why, cause he is a dick, but I just loved him. Maybe because he is so honest all the time. And he really grows over the course of the story. I really enjoyed Josh & Ally's relationship (its not romantic) too so was sad when she went off to NY. And while I was perfectly happy with how Josh's story ended I really want another one about him
Spoiler
In this story it was right for him not to end up with anyone, he still has more growing to do but I wold love another story about him a couple of years down the track where he falls in love.Spoiler
thedearest's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted on GalacticTidesx: http://galactictidesx.blogspot.ca/2015/06/book-review-under-lights-daylight-falls.html
I read Young Adult literature when I was too young to do so, and I still read it now that I've slowly aged out of the target demographic. And much like for SFF, I read it because I think that is incredibly important and can tackle some of the more serious issues. My grade twelve writer's craft teacher once remarked that the things she began writing when she was a teenager were the same things she wrote about now.
I cannot state enough the grace with which Under the Lights tackles its story. Under the Lights at the end of the day about love. It's about unrequited love. It's about loving your parents when they are visibly very flawed human beings. It's about the love that fuels relationships--filial, romantic and friendships--that grow and change with you as you're becoming an adult. Under the Lights is about the first love you'll ever have and the moment you've realized you've never quite loved anyone for real.
While I wasn't always a fan of Josh's part of the narrative because he's purposefully dickish in an irritatingly familiar way, I loved Vanessa's a lot. And at the end of the day even Josh grew on me with a little bit of perspective and some growing up on his part. I also loved the way the secondary characters, mostly returning cast from Behind the Scenes like Ally and Liam with some new faces, added some real depth to the story.
At the end of this, the fact that this is a love story for a queer woman of colour is so important. I read Vanessa Park as bisexual, though many may not agree because, well, subtext. But that itself is very clever in some ways but not confirming a label where none is really needed. I often say that I wish books had been around when I was younger, and Under the Lights is no different. The romance is right on the cover! There are no suggestive silhouettes or objects, just two young women kissing in a way I see in mainstream M/F romances in media and not enough for queer romances. Most especially during Pride and after a landmark SCOTUS ruling for marriage equality, my heart is so full.
Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler is out today. And I'm going to buy a copy because I need more of this.
Overall rating: 4/5
Full disclosure: I received this book as a review copy from Spencer Hill Contemporary through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I read Young Adult literature when I was too young to do so, and I still read it now that I've slowly aged out of the target demographic. And much like for SFF, I read it because I think that is incredibly important and can tackle some of the more serious issues. My grade twelve writer's craft teacher once remarked that the things she began writing when she was a teenager were the same things she wrote about now.
I cannot state enough the grace with which Under the Lights tackles its story. Under the Lights at the end of the day about love. It's about unrequited love. It's about loving your parents when they are visibly very flawed human beings. It's about the love that fuels relationships--filial, romantic and friendships--that grow and change with you as you're becoming an adult. Under the Lights is about the first love you'll ever have and the moment you've realized you've never quite loved anyone for real.
While I wasn't always a fan of Josh's part of the narrative because he's purposefully dickish in an irritatingly familiar way, I loved Vanessa's a lot. And at the end of the day even Josh grew on me with a little bit of perspective and some growing up on his part. I also loved the way the secondary characters, mostly returning cast from Behind the Scenes like Ally and Liam with some new faces, added some real depth to the story.
At the end of this, the fact that this is a love story for a queer woman of colour is so important. I read Vanessa Park as bisexual, though many may not agree because, well, subtext. But that itself is very clever in some ways but not confirming a label where none is really needed. I often say that I wish books had been around when I was younger, and Under the Lights is no different. The romance is right on the cover! There are no suggestive silhouettes or objects, just two young women kissing in a way I see in mainstream M/F romances in media and not enough for queer romances. Most especially during Pride and after a landmark SCOTUS ruling for marriage equality, my heart is so full.
Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler is out today. And I'm going to buy a copy because I need more of this.
Overall rating: 4/5
Full disclosure: I received this book as a review copy from Spencer Hill Contemporary through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
spencerhillpress's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
sungmemoonstruck's review against another edition
4.0
I was so pleasantly surprised by how stellar this book was, especially since I wasn't in love with the first book in the series. But this was an excellent, nuanced, and compelling novel with diverse and complicated characters--I'm definitely planning on checking out Adler's New Adult novels.
brittanyallyn's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed this one even more than the first one, and now I'm hoping Josh gets his own book, although I loved the dual pov's in this one.
marasto's review against another edition
4.0
oh my god oh my god oh my god that was so cute i love this book
missriki's review against another edition
5.0
This was the perfect next chapter in Dahlia Adler's wonderful Daylight Falls series, featuring two characters who I absolutely loved from BEHIND THE SCENES. Of course I loved Vanessa, who in this book gets to shine, but I also loved Josh and couldn't be happier with the opportunity we got to get to know him. He might come across as a little bit of a douche, but Adler imbues him with so much heart that you can't help but fall in love with him.
Just like the first book in this series, the writing is top notch and the plot is fast paced and engaging. The novel is such a cool inside look at the life of a television/film star and has all of the drama you might expect from people who live their lives constantly in the spotlight. I really liked that this book took a bit of a detour away from the set of Daylight Falls and really got deeper into the relationships established in the first novel.
The romance in this book is absolutely everything I could possibly ask for. Vanessa and Brianna are so adorable together, with the sweetest moments passing between them. I found myself talking to the book, telling Vanessa that everything would be okay as she at first struggles with the reality of being in love with another girl. These are two characters that you can really get behind- they're ambitious and honest and the type of girls you just want to be friends with. Although it's not easy, the falling in love portion of this novel is sweet and just the right amount of sexy.
UNDER THE LIGHTS is everything I love about contemporary YA and I think it will appeal to a wide audience. If you love Hollywood, sweet romance, and/or sexy girls kissing, you'll love this book.
Just like the first book in this series, the writing is top notch and the plot is fast paced and engaging. The novel is such a cool inside look at the life of a television/film star and has all of the drama you might expect from people who live their lives constantly in the spotlight. I really liked that this book took a bit of a detour away from the set of Daylight Falls and really got deeper into the relationships established in the first novel.
The romance in this book is absolutely everything I could possibly ask for. Vanessa and Brianna are so adorable together, with the sweetest moments passing between them. I found myself talking to the book, telling Vanessa that everything would be okay as she at first struggles with the reality of being in love with another girl. These are two characters that you can really get behind- they're ambitious and honest and the type of girls you just want to be friends with. Although it's not easy, the falling in love portion of this novel is sweet and just the right amount of sexy.
UNDER THE LIGHTS is everything I love about contemporary YA and I think it will appeal to a wide audience. If you love Hollywood, sweet romance, and/or sexy girls kissing, you'll love this book.