Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Winnie, her younger brother Winston and her cousin Sam are staying with their Granny in Misty Haven for the summer. Every summer, Winnie and Winston work in their Granny’s diner, while Sam wrangles the children of the town. This is how Winnie met her ungirlfriend Kara years ago and began a committed queer platonic relationship. This summer is different, though, because it’s the last summer before college and Winnie has just been crowned Misty Central’s Queen in the annual summer royalty tradition. And while Kara volunteered to be her “king,” so did Dallas, a boy that makes Winnie’s heart race.
In paper, this book sounds like it would be right up my alley. Winnie is a fat, Black queer girl, and the story is somewhat of a fun summer romance, but there was just nothing about this story that grabbed me. I didn’t feel particularly invested in any character, and there were moments in the story that felt confusing or incomplete because it seemed like we weren’t given enough background information or detail to fully understand them. I wish I liked this book more, but I just feel so incredibly meh about it. It’s not terrible, so maybe someone out there would love it, but I definitely didn’t.
In paper, this book sounds like it would be right up my alley. Winnie is a fat, Black queer girl, and the story is somewhat of a fun summer romance, but there was just nothing about this story that grabbed me. I didn’t feel particularly invested in any character, and there were moments in the story that felt confusing or incomplete because it seemed like we weren’t given enough background information or detail to fully understand them. I wish I liked this book more, but I just feel so incredibly meh about it. It’s not terrible, so maybe someone out there would love it, but I definitely didn’t.
WASHYARG review
Winnie spends every summer in a tiny Southern town, working for her Granny at her diner and hanging out with her family and ungirlfriend/partner, Kara. Every summer the town holds the Haven Summer Royalty event, a grand matchmaking spectacle resulting in a reigning couple (or thruple) that presides over additional events throughout the season. Somehow, Winnie's name is entered into the contest and she is, against her will, selected as Queen. Her partner Kara immediately volunteers to be King, but then so does Dallas - the cute boy Winnie has secretly be crushing on! Relationship drama ensues and Winnie models very self-aware and mature communication habits. Kara and Dallas? Not as much. Between this, a cooking contest show coming to town that her brother is desperate to compete in, and an ever-grating relationship with her Granny, this is a summer full of twists and turns. Winnie is a fat, Black, queer girl, and the book highlights issues related to fatphobia, racism, and queer identity. Winnie illustrates to complexities of being fat, from how precious it is to find clothes that truly fit, to problems with healthcare providers, to the daily anti-fat discrimination found in strangers and loved ones. In terms of race, issues such as police violence, a lack of mirror representation in books and problematic fantasy tropes, and dangerous racial power dynamics that constantly threaten Black people in this country. Winnie describes herself has queer and this is an asexual ownvoices story. Winnie's sexuality is illustrated both through her interactions with her partners, as well as through conversations with her parents and Dallas. Winnie is a fully fleshed out character, driven by her love for her family and dedication to being herself. The secondary characters are not as fully explored. This compelling, character-driven story will appeal to grades 8 and up, has no drinking, drugs, physical violence, has some kissing and swearing. Content warnings: fatphobia (interpersonal, medical) and racism.
Winnie spends every summer in a tiny Southern town, working for her Granny at her diner and hanging out with her family and ungirlfriend/partner, Kara. Every summer the town holds the Haven Summer Royalty event, a grand matchmaking spectacle resulting in a reigning couple (or thruple) that presides over additional events throughout the season. Somehow, Winnie's name is entered into the contest and she is, against her will, selected as Queen. Her partner Kara immediately volunteers to be King, but then so does Dallas - the cute boy Winnie has secretly be crushing on! Relationship drama ensues and Winnie models very self-aware and mature communication habits. Kara and Dallas? Not as much. Between this, a cooking contest show coming to town that her brother is desperate to compete in, and an ever-grating relationship with her Granny, this is a summer full of twists and turns. Winnie is a fat, Black, queer girl, and the book highlights issues related to fatphobia, racism, and queer identity. Winnie illustrates to complexities of being fat, from how precious it is to find clothes that truly fit, to problems with healthcare providers, to the daily anti-fat discrimination found in strangers and loved ones. In terms of race, issues such as police violence, a lack of mirror representation in books and problematic fantasy tropes, and dangerous racial power dynamics that constantly threaten Black people in this country. Winnie describes herself has queer and this is an asexual ownvoices story. Winnie's sexuality is illustrated both through her interactions with her partners, as well as through conversations with her parents and Dallas. Winnie is a fully fleshed out character, driven by her love for her family and dedication to being herself. The secondary characters are not as fully explored. This compelling, character-driven story will appeal to grades 8 and up, has no drinking, drugs, physical violence, has some kissing and swearing. Content warnings: fatphobia (interpersonal, medical) and racism.
Trigger warnings: fatphobia, fat shaming, medical emergency.
I am so bummed I didn't love this. Let's Talk About Love is one of my favourite contemporary stories, so when I first read about this one, I was SUPER excited about it. And then I promptly put off reading it for a year. And now I've read it and I'm just...sad.
My biggest problem with this was that there was just Too. Much. Going. On. There were about four different plots happening here and the whole thing just felt frantic and jumbled as a result. So. Let's talk about the different plot lines:
1. Winnie's relationships. There's a love triangle between her queerplatonic relationship with her best friend and "ungirlfriend" Kara, and Dallas, the boy she has a crush on. According to the terms of her relationship with Kara, she can date whoever she likes. Kara proceeds to get jealous at every turn and.
2. Winnie ends up as the Summer Queen of her town and has to participate in a bunch of events as a result. Kara and Dallas volunteer has her consorts, continuing the love triangle vibe. At one point, Winnie says she has no idea who put her name forward for Summer Queen. This is never resolved.
3. Winnie needs a blood test to prove to her university that she's been vaccinated. The doctor insists on weighing her. She's all "Uh, no? You just want to use my weight as a reason to lecture me about my health even though my regular doctor has said I'm fine. Just give me a blood test?". Her grandmother gets offended at her lack of respect and decides to put her on a diet????? Also she takes up jogging even though she doesn't want to????? I just...?????????????
4. There's some kind of reality show being filmed in the town. Winnie's little brother wants to enter. It will let them buy a new oven for their grandmother's diner, where the oven regularly catches on fire. This is brought up at the beginning and end of the story and is basically forgotten altogether in between.
Basically? This book was all over the place and I didn't particularly like Winnie as a protagonist and I was left with entirely too many questions and zero answers. Sigh.
I am so bummed I didn't love this. Let's Talk About Love is one of my favourite contemporary stories, so when I first read about this one, I was SUPER excited about it. And then I promptly put off reading it for a year. And now I've read it and I'm just...sad.
My biggest problem with this was that there was just Too. Much. Going. On. There were about four different plots happening here and the whole thing just felt frantic and jumbled as a result. So. Let's talk about the different plot lines:
1. Winnie's relationships. There's a love triangle between her queerplatonic relationship with her best friend and "ungirlfriend" Kara, and Dallas, the boy she has a crush on. According to the terms of her relationship with Kara, she can date whoever she likes. Kara proceeds to get jealous at every turn and
Spoiler
it's revealed during the story that earlier in the year she made Dallas promise to stay away from Winnie because she knew Winnie liked him2. Winnie ends up as the Summer Queen of her town and has to participate in a bunch of events as a result. Kara and Dallas volunteer has her consorts, continuing the love triangle vibe. At one point, Winnie says she has no idea who put her name forward for Summer Queen. This is never resolved.
3. Winnie needs a blood test to prove to her university that she's been vaccinated. The doctor insists on weighing her. She's all "Uh, no? You just want to use my weight as a reason to lecture me about my health even though my regular doctor has said I'm fine. Just give me a blood test?". Her grandmother gets offended at her lack of respect and decides to put her on a diet????? Also she takes up jogging even though she doesn't want to????? I just...?????????????
4. There's some kind of reality show being filmed in the town. Winnie's little brother wants to enter. It will let them buy a new oven for their grandmother's diner, where the oven regularly catches on fire. This is brought up at the beginning and end of the story and is basically forgotten altogether in between.
Basically? This book was all over the place and I didn't particularly like Winnie as a protagonist and I was left with entirely too many questions and zero answers. Sigh.
I love the qpr rep! That being said, Kara could've been more present. It is a memoir and all but it seemed like we knew the people only as Winnie felt strongest about them. We know that Winston is a great cook, but what else does he do? We know that Dallas is kind, but who else is he?
Winnie is a powerful young woman who loves herself before others. She does love others, very much. She brings her self love into everything and everyone (almost everyone) appreciates it.
This is great for anyone looking for bi ace, qpr and polyamory rep!
Winnie is a powerful young woman who loves herself before others. She does love others, very much. She brings her self love into everything and everyone (almost everyone) appreciates it.
This is great for anyone looking for bi ace, qpr and polyamory rep!
I really tried to get into this book but ended up DNFing at around 20%. I read about lot of queer YA rom-coms, but couldn’t get into this story at all. I felt like the characters were acting much younger than teens, and while I think the narrator of the audiobook did a good job, I just couldn’t get past the writing. I could see this book maybe appealing to someone in middle school or maybe younger.
Winnie is trying to figure out her next steps.
In between shifts working at her family's business.
But this summer changes a lot. She has a few options. This is a coming of age story that is at times laugh out loud funny, and in the feels.
In between shifts working at her family's business.
But this summer changes a lot. She has a few options. This is a coming of age story that is at times laugh out loud funny, and in the feels.
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Really enjoyed it! :)
Super late to the party, but I'm finally here~
The author oh so graciously sent me a signed arc in the mail before its release since I missed her at YAllWest 2019. For some reason I accidentally kept holding off on reading it waiting for the perfect summer-timing to read it.
Super late to the party, but I'm finally here~
The author oh so graciously sent me a signed arc in the mail before its release since I missed her at YAllWest 2019. For some reason I accidentally kept holding off on reading it waiting for the perfect summer-timing to read it.