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3.31 AVERAGE
3.31 AVERAGE
damn it would’ve been nice to enjoy this book. but i just didn’t. noah, like others have said, is so insufferable. i can give some of it a pass if i remember he’s going through a lot (just came out as trans right before moving across the country & leaving his bff behind. also just…being 16), but it’s really quite extreme & difficult to read when he’s the main character. the meet cute diary also didn’t make a lot of sense as a blog but some of the reactions were pretty accurately peak tumblr so that was kind of fun (if also annoying since those types of internet reactions are annoying irl). overall devin was the better character (& i’m not just saying that since we share a name) & deserves better than noah. kinda wish i’d skipped this one!
I could not relate to a main character that depended on and expected so much money from their parents, but other wise I liked all of the characters and thought the book was *CUTE*. Honestly, my favorite part of this book was the possessive gas-lighting relationship between Noah and Drew... Not because I liked their relationship of course, but because it was not too triggering considering I went through a similar experience as a teen, and I think reading this book at that time would have helped me see the problems in that relationship and avoid some of the trauma it incurred. I'm glad Noah got out when he could see the signs of abuse there. This book is not perfect but I think it is a perfect read for people delving into dating for the first time.
I really wanted to like this but there were so many things holding me back from doing so. Or more like one big thing, in the form of the main character. Noah was honestly a dick. Especially to Devin. I will never get past how he treated Devin when they first met. He shows absolutely no empathy, not just for Devin but for anyone. He has amazing people around him, like Brian (his brother) and Becca (his best friend), and he treats them terribly and then gives them half-assed apologies which they accept because they are NICE PEOPLE, before he goes ahead and does the thing he just apologised for a few chapters later. He was entitled, annoying, stuck up, and honestly self-destructive. It was unbearable to read.
The romance was just as bad. It was kind of insta-love, which I appreciate even less in YA. They have known each other for barely any time and they are making out all the time?? Maybe I just had a different kind of teenage experience, but that doesn’t seem normal to me at 16… And don’t get me started on the way Noah talks about Drew. Once again, it seemed like such a superficial attraction. I’m sure that was intentional, but the language Noah used honestly made me uncomfortable. It’s the first or second time he has seen Drew and he can’t stop throwing around words like “hot” and whatnot. And, SPOILER, I don’t think his relationship with Devin was any better. Devin DESERVED BETTER. Noah DID NOT deserve that adorable ‘treasure hunt’ (near the end of the book). Devin does everything for Noah and Noah gives nothing in return.
Noah was just such a self-absorbed, horrible person that it made any part of the book hard to read. After reflecting, I’m dropping my rating from 2 stars to 1. I’m glad I wasted only one day on this book.
And the fact he literally sleeps in a closet??
Sixteen-year-old Noah is spending his summer vacation focusing on his popular blog. The Meet Cute Diary tells stories of trans youth meeting their significant other and falling in love. Except the stories aren't real—Noah makes them up to give trans kids hope that love can happen for them. Is that so wrong? A troll thinks so, and tries to prove that the blog is all a lie. Will a fake boyfriend help Noah save his life's work?
This adorable ownvoices, multicultural trans YA novel shows love doesn't always happen the way you imagined it. If you like YA or YA romance, give this one a try. It's a beautiful, uplifting story about friendship, romance, and learning to be true to yourself in a world full of negative voices.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This adorable ownvoices, multicultural trans YA novel shows love doesn't always happen the way you imagined it. If you like YA or YA romance, give this one a try. It's a beautiful, uplifting story about friendship, romance, and learning to be true to yourself in a world full of negative voices.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A book with a trans main POC main character, meet-cutes, and a non-binary/agender/gender fluid character with neopronouns who doesn’t need to have all these very angsty scenes defending eir rights, and just have e be accepted and that’s that, it was really nice to see.
This book was so cute and infuriating and damn I went through so many emotions, cuz honestly? Noah, the main character, is such a selfish prick
This book was so cute and infuriating and damn I went through so many emotions, cuz honestly? Noah, the main character, is such a selfish prick
The main character was a major brat, so obnoxious and insensitive, could not stand to read hundreds more pages of them
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
I mostly enjoyed this, but the blurb is a bit of a bait and switch and it's probably a 100 pages too long. I liked the trans representation, and while Noah is pretty spoiled/entitled, I didn't think it was out of proportion with how a lot of teens are that way (but the reviews are pretty vitriolic w/r/t Noah, yikes). Favorite character was definitely Devin.
I was intrigued by the choice to use Tumblr as the platform for the blog. I'm a long-time Tumblr user, but I don't get the feeling that it's a hotbed of teen online activity, but it does have an anonymous message feature, which works with the set up of the plot. I wonder how that detail hits teen audiences . . .
Major first book energy; will be interested to read more from this author in future.
I was intrigued by the choice to use Tumblr as the platform for the blog. I'm a long-time Tumblr user, but I don't get the feeling that it's a hotbed of teen online activity, but it does have an anonymous message feature, which works with the set up of the plot. I wonder how that detail hits teen audiences . . .
Major first book energy; will be interested to read more from this author in future.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was just pure Trans joy from start to finish!!!!
I loved Noah so much!!!! He was so sassy and confident. I loved how he knew what he deserved, a kind loving partner, and wouldn't tolerate anyhhibg less.
My favourite character was Devin. The way that e changed eir pronouns throughout the book (he/him->they/them->xe/xem->e/em) was really cool. Eir whole personality was so joyous, even with a very sad transohobic past.
Drew, I proudly disliked from the start.
The plot with the blog was really sweet and low-stakes which was really comfortable to read. The pacing was mid to fast, around 2 months between the start and end.
I highly highly highly recommend this book!!!!
Queer rep:
Transmasc mc
Unlabelled (attracted to many genders) mc
Non-binary sc
Unlabelled (achillean) sc
Lesbian sc
I loved Noah so much!!!! He was so sassy and confident. I loved how he knew what he deserved, a kind loving partner, and wouldn't tolerate anyhhibg less.
My favourite character was Devin. The way that e changed eir pronouns throughout the book (he/him->they/them->xe/xem->e/em) was really cool. Eir whole personality was so joyous, even with a very sad transohobic past.
Drew, I proudly disliked from the start.
The plot with the blog was really sweet and low-stakes which was really comfortable to read. The pacing was mid to fast, around 2 months between the start and end.
I highly highly highly recommend this book!!!!
Queer rep:
Transmasc mc
Unlabelled (attracted to many genders) mc
Non-binary sc
Unlabelled (achillean) sc
Lesbian sc