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A review by siesssie
Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas
3.0
3.5 / 3.75 ★
I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. The 1st chapter is one of my favorite first chapters I’ve ever read. It was simple and raw and felt real. This is what I most appreciated in Douglas's prose, she has the ability to make you feel exactly what her characters are experiencing, as if you’re the one living them. Her words pull you in, and they’re the ones that decide when to let you go.
This was a slow book in every sense of the word. While some parts stood pretty close to the border of boredom, I weirdly savored it. Age gaps make for challenging stories when not relying on complete debauchery. The choice of the pace felt even more important because we were able to understand these characters on a more intimate level by accompanying them on their mundane day to day, time and time again.
I think Jordan is more complex than what people give her credit for in some of the reviews I’ve read. Her maturity is selective because she has had to be both an adult and a kid her entire life. She’s 19, of course, she’ll also act immature. I liked that she was a girly girl who just wanted a simple life in the end. She craved for her future all that she was denied growing up. While I wish she wasn’t so young, and at several points I was rooting for her independence from everyone, she “wanted the life”, and I’m not going to judge her for it.
I strongly wished Pike wasn’t such a possessive asshole. If he at least expressed what he was truly thinking instead of just accusing Jordan left and right, he would be so much more compelling. But, despite his shortcomings, I liked him a lot too. His quiet demeanor and simple existence pulled at my heartstrings, and after all he sacrificed, he deserved his hea.
While those two months were hell for him, I’m still not sure how I feel about Jordan forgiving Pike so quickly. That’s a lie, I’m not a fan. The ending felt too abrupt after so much anticipation. I honestly don’t rate this higher because of that as well as for the lack of communication, honest, thorough communication between these two.
Cole was a selfish, egocentric loser and his “redemption” arc can suck my clit.
His mom is a haggard low life bitch and I wish she dies choking on her saliva.
I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. The 1st chapter is one of my favorite first chapters I’ve ever read. It was simple and raw and felt real. This is what I most appreciated in Douglas's prose, she has the ability to make you feel exactly what her characters are experiencing, as if you’re the one living them. Her words pull you in, and they’re the ones that decide when to let you go.
This was a slow book in every sense of the word. While some parts stood pretty close to the border of boredom, I weirdly savored it. Age gaps make for challenging stories when not relying on complete debauchery. The choice of the pace felt even more important because we were able to understand these characters on a more intimate level by accompanying them on their mundane day to day, time and time again.
I think Jordan is more complex than what people give her credit for in some of the reviews I’ve read. Her maturity is selective because she has had to be both an adult and a kid her entire life. She’s 19, of course, she’ll also act immature. I liked that she was a girly girl who just wanted a simple life in the end. She craved for her future all that she was denied growing up. While I wish she wasn’t so young, and at several points I was rooting for her independence from everyone, she “wanted the life”, and I’m not going to judge her for it.
I strongly wished Pike wasn’t such a possessive asshole. If he at least expressed what he was truly thinking instead of just accusing Jordan left and right, he would be so much more compelling. But, despite his shortcomings, I liked him a lot too. His quiet demeanor and simple existence pulled at my heartstrings, and after all he sacrificed, he deserved his hea.
While those two months were hell for him, I’m still not sure how I feel about Jordan forgiving Pike so quickly. That’s a lie, I’m not a fan. The ending felt too abrupt after so much anticipation. I honestly don’t rate this higher because of that as well as for the lack of communication, honest, thorough communication between these two.
Cole was a selfish, egocentric loser and his “redemption” arc can suck my clit.
His mom is a haggard low life bitch and I wish she dies choking on her saliva.