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justagirlwithabook's reviews
432 reviews
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
SPOILERS:
I was hooked throughout the whole story but had some disappointments which I will include as spoilers here.
As an educator of over a decade, I hate seeing the classic teacher/student relationship tropes thrown into mysteries/thrillers as plot points. While yes, unfortunately predators do exist within the education field, their horrible lapses in judgment are not representative of all educators, especially men, who are often perceived within these stories as weak, vulnerable, and entirely susceptible to young, pretty female attention. I was hoping for a different outcome within this story and when it was discovered that a teacher had nefarious doings with Andie, my heart sunk. There were other ways this could've gone instead.
The second, even great disappointment, was the unnecessary death of the sweet Golden Retriever, Barney. I'm a Golden Retriever owner and dog lover, and I don't know why mystery/thrillers continue to insist that dogs must die in a story to make that story better; spoiler alert, it doesn't. If anything, it just makes me angry at the author for making that decision. Should I be more outraged about all the horrible things people were doing to other people in this story? Yes. But am I most appalled that Jackson killed off the dog? Yep. I am. Characters in stories are never fully innocent. Dogs are. Leave them be. Thank you.
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overview:
Pippa (Pip) has decided to tackle a local open-and-close homicide case for her senior capstone project. The case involves a popular and pretty high school senior named Andie Bell who was allegedly murdered 5 years ago by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who later was also found dead, an apparent suicide and confessed murderer. But Andie's body was never found, and Pip has some questions. As her capstone project progresses, through countless interviews, research, and a little bit of "bending the ethical rules of investigative journalism," she teams up with Sal's brother, Ravi, and starts to untangle a very messy and destructive web of lies and deception.
The short of it:
What I loved: the fast pace, the format of the story (documents, capstone entries, etc.), the main character's intelligence and quick thinking, the 'whodunit' aspect
What I didn't love: a few plot points towards the end that were very disappointing (spoilers at the end), the lackadaisical characteristics of the main character's parents that weren't as fully believable/realistic
The longer version:
This is a classic 'whodunit' kind of twisty mystery that I love and was honestly very reminiscent to me of the Serial podcast's first season (though that being a TRUE story and significantly more complicated). It was very fast-paced and the format was a bit more unique, which I think added to the feeling of a fast plot. The story was told mostly through Pip's point of view via her capstone project entries (which included snippets of text messages, documents that Pip included throughout her investigation, and so forth). Every handful of chapters the POV would shift to a 3rd-person narrator to give us more insight as to Pip's actions and goings-on. I did have some disappointments in regard to a couple plot points which I have put at the very end (so you can choose to avoid or read through on your own). I realize some of my misgivings/disappointments are based on my own personal reading preferences and might not be of any concern to other readers at all.
Recommended for:
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is classified as a Young Adult Mystery/Thriller, and I would say it's most appropriate for maybe 8th grade and above. There is some more mature content related to the crime in individuals involved, but the female lead herself is very much a straight-forward "good girl" - great grades, responsible, intelligent, etc.
Content Warnings:
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Grief, Drug use, and Death
Pippa (Pip) has decided to tackle a local open-and-close homicide case for her senior capstone project. The case involves a popular and pretty high school senior named Andie Bell who was allegedly murdered 5 years ago by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who later was also found dead, an apparent suicide and confessed murderer. But Andie's body was never found, and Pip has some questions. As her capstone project progresses, through countless interviews, research, and a little bit of "bending the ethical rules of investigative journalism," she teams up with Sal's brother, Ravi, and starts to untangle a very messy and destructive web of lies and deception.
The short of it:
What I loved: the fast pace, the format of the story (documents, capstone entries, etc.), the main character's intelligence and quick thinking, the 'whodunit' aspect
What I didn't love: a few plot points towards the end that were very disappointing (spoilers at the end), the lackadaisical characteristics of the main character's parents that weren't as fully believable/realistic
The longer version:
This is a classic 'whodunit' kind of twisty mystery that I love and was honestly very reminiscent to me of the Serial podcast's first season (though that being a TRUE story and significantly more complicated). It was very fast-paced and the format was a bit more unique, which I think added to the feeling of a fast plot. The story was told mostly through Pip's point of view via her capstone project entries (which included snippets of text messages, documents that Pip included throughout her investigation, and so forth). Every handful of chapters the POV would shift to a 3rd-person narrator to give us more insight as to Pip's actions and goings-on. I did have some disappointments in regard to a couple plot points which I have put at the very end (so you can choose to avoid or read through on your own). I realize some of my misgivings/disappointments are based on my own personal reading preferences and might not be of any concern to other readers at all.
Recommended for:
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is classified as a Young Adult Mystery/Thriller, and I would say it's most appropriate for maybe 8th grade and above. There is some more mature content related to the crime in individuals involved, but the female lead herself is very much a straight-forward "good girl" - great grades, responsible, intelligent, etc.
Content Warnings:
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Grief, Drug use, and Death
Minor: Animal death, Vomit, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, and Cursing
SPOILERS:
I was hooked throughout the whole story but had some disappointments which I will include as spoilers here.
The second, even great disappointment, was the unnecessary death of the sweet Golden Retriever, Barney. I'm a Golden Retriever owner and dog lover, and I don't know why mystery/thrillers continue to insist that dogs must die in a story to make that story better; spoiler alert, it doesn't. If anything, it just makes me angry at the author for making that decision. Should I be more outraged about all the horrible things people were doing to other people in this story? Yes. But am I most appalled that Jackson killed off the dog? Yep. I am. Characters in stories are never fully innocent. Dogs are. Leave them be. Thank you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug use, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Blood, Vomit, and Kidnapping
The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Seventeen-year-old Rachel and her mom are new to the Manchester area after moving from Long Island because of a traumatic home invasion that took place a year earlier. Masked men broke into their house when Rachel was alone and attacked her, but she defended herself and lived to see another day, though the experience left its mark; she suffers from nightmares, anxiety and anxiety, has trouble making new friends at her new school, and just can't seem to shake the past. But then, things begin to look up as she meets and joins in with the Mary Shelley Club, a small, eclectic group of fellow students and horror fans who take their love of fear to the next level, staging their own "Fear Tests" as part of a game. Come up with a plan, scare the victim until they scream, and the person with best Fear Test when it's all said and done wins. But things start taking a dark turn the more Rachel gets caught up in the group and their game, and it seems like her past, and a masked intruder, isn't as far away as she once hoped.
This one got off to a sort of slow start, but by maybe a fourth of the way in, things started picking up and the storyline turned a bit more macabre, which I ate up, in one 4 and a half hour sitting! I really appreciated all the references to the cult classics of the horror genre, both film and text (as a former English teacher and current librarian, all the asides related to horror literature were a hit for me!). The storyline really focuses most on this traumatic incident that occurs at the very beginning, and then everything builds from there. We don't ever find out much about Rachel and her mom's story really; we only know them through the lens of this bad moment a year ago. While this might not work for some, I think it worked fine here, especially as a Young Adult novel that really carries itself well as a "slasher" type of story (it'd make a great older teen horror movie!). I didn't fully see the twist at the end when all was revealed, so it wasn't super predictable, which was great as well.
What I loved: the (mostly) fast pace, all the references to classic horror novels, authors, and films, the build up to the somewhat surprising ending, the 'slasher film' feeling of the story overall (5-stars for entertainment value!)
What I didn't love: the end-end of the ending (it felt like it ended quite abruptly rather than smoothly tapering off and letting us go - there were some loose ends that would've been nice to have wrapped up), not a lot of love for the main character (she was a bit abrasive, but then if this had been a horror film, we wouldn't need to have lovable characters to still get caught up in the scary of it all), the more mature content (in regards to language, casual underage drinking, drug use, and sexual commentary ... as a junior high librarian I was hoping this would be a great addition to my library shelves but it's much to 'new' young adult rather than just middle grade-YA).
I would definitely recommend this to older young adults who enjoy a good horror/thriller with a plot twist (as well as adults who can appreciate a pretty decent YA slasher novel when they see one). As a librarian, I would recommend this to general public libraries where young adult horror has a readership.
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group (Henry Holt and Co.) for the Early Review copy in exchanged for honest feedback.
This one got off to a sort of slow start, but by maybe a fourth of the way in, things started picking up and the storyline turned a bit more macabre, which I ate up, in one 4 and a half hour sitting! I really appreciated all the references to the cult classics of the horror genre, both film and text (as a former English teacher and current librarian, all the asides related to horror literature were a hit for me!). The storyline really focuses most on this traumatic incident that occurs at the very beginning, and then everything builds from there. We don't ever find out much about Rachel and her mom's story really; we only know them through the lens of this bad moment a year ago. While this might not work for some, I think it worked fine here, especially as a Young Adult novel that really carries itself well as a "slasher" type of story (it'd make a great older teen horror movie!). I didn't fully see the twist at the end when all was revealed, so it wasn't super predictable, which was great as well.
What I loved: the (mostly) fast pace, all the references to classic horror novels, authors, and films, the build up to the somewhat surprising ending, the 'slasher film' feeling of the story overall (5-stars for entertainment value!)
What I didn't love: the end-end of the ending (it felt like it ended quite abruptly rather than smoothly tapering off and letting us go - there were some loose ends that would've been nice to have wrapped up), not a lot of love for the main character (she was a bit abrasive, but then if this had been a horror film, we wouldn't need to have lovable characters to still get caught up in the scary of it all), the more mature content (in regards to language, casual underage drinking, drug use, and sexual commentary ... as a junior high librarian I was hoping this would be a great addition to my library shelves but it's much to 'new' young adult rather than just middle grade-YA).
I would definitely recommend this to older young adults who enjoy a good horror/thriller with a plot twist (as well as adults who can appreciate a pretty decent YA slasher novel when they see one). As a librarian, I would recommend this to general public libraries where young adult horror has a readership.
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group (Henry Holt and Co.) for the Early Review copy in exchanged for honest feedback.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Alcoholism and Drug use
The Cruellest Month by Louise Penny
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Giving this a 4-5 star, because the series does get better as it goes. I attribute this mostly to foundational characters of Three Pines and Gamache and his team; with every book that goes by, the more we get to know them and the more we love them!
I’m also starting to find that when I want a little bit of a comforting, cozy mystery, Three Pines is the first to come to mind. The only bad part about picking up one of these books is the cravings for croissants and other warm, baked goods that will hit you hard with nearly every chapter. Haha! You either need to have industrial strength will-power or a bit of something on hand in the kitchen.
I’ve ordered the next two in the series, so I’m all set for a little bit, but I fully plan on catching up!
I’m also starting to find that when I want a little bit of a comforting, cozy mystery, Three Pines is the first to come to mind. The only bad part about picking up one of these books is the cravings for croissants and other warm, baked goods that will hit you hard with nearly every chapter. Haha! You either need to have industrial strength will-power or a bit of something on hand in the kitchen.
I’ve ordered the next two in the series, so I’m all set for a little bit, but I fully plan on catching up!
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Death, Terminal illness, and Grief
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Oh, this was a heartbreaker.
This is a great introduction into the world of mysteries with a good plot twist for YA readers new to the genre. For those who aren't new to it, it still made for a good twisty psychological thriller with YA-aged characters. The story is told from the perspective of Cady who is suffering from a traumatic injury from an event that happened a few summers previous on her family's private island. (Her family, the Sinclairs, are of that old, rich, white money and they give off a level of elitism that wants to make you vomit a bit. But the kids in the family are fairly turned off by it as well, so at least you're in good company.)
What I loved:
I loved the writing style, the short chapters, learning bits and pieces of information of what really happened that night a few summers ago as Cady starts to remember as well, the twist to the plot towards the end when the final truth is revealed, and the appeal of this narrative to YA readers.
What I didn't love:
The Sinclair family (but this was intentional -- they're just not lovable) and the classism and privilege we see in the family (again, intentional). I wish the wrongness of that had been more addressed than it was, but this story I think was more a story of a tragedy than anything else (the characters' inability to learn and change, to be better people than what they were).
What I had mixed feelings about:
The ending ... it's a heartbreaker and, while we know right off the bat that a tragedy has occurred, I didn't realize it would wrench my heart as much as it did, which in and of itself is entirely fine in an ending. I think I wanted a little bit more hope entwined in it as well. I wanted to see characters learn from their mistakes, to see a family working towards change to be better (when instead we saw fully the consequences of a terrible decision that led to families broken apart, lives ruined through substance abuse, and other things - entirely realistic, though, I guess, in that regard).
This is a great introduction into the world of mysteries with a good plot twist for YA readers new to the genre. For those who aren't new to it, it still made for a good twisty psychological thriller with YA-aged characters. The story is told from the perspective of Cady who is suffering from a traumatic injury from an event that happened a few summers previous on her family's private island. (Her family, the Sinclairs, are of that old, rich, white money and they give off a level of elitism that wants to make you vomit a bit. But the kids in the family are fairly turned off by it as well, so at least you're in good company.)
What I loved:
I loved the writing style, the short chapters, learning bits and pieces of information of what really happened that night a few summers ago as Cady starts to remember as well, the twist to the plot towards the end when the final truth is revealed, and the appeal of this narrative to YA readers.
What I didn't love:
The Sinclair family (but this was intentional -- they're just not lovable) and the classism and privilege we see in the family (again, intentional). I wish the wrongness of that had been more addressed than it was, but this story I think was more a story of a tragedy than anything else (the characters' inability to learn and change, to be better people than what they were).
What I had mixed feelings about:
The ending ... it's a heartbreaker and, while we know right off the bat that a tragedy has occurred, I didn't realize it would wrench my heart as much as it did, which in and of itself is entirely fine in an ending. I think I wanted a little bit more hope entwined in it as well. I wanted to see characters learn from their mistakes, to see a family working towards change to be better (when instead we saw fully the consequences of a terrible decision that led to families broken apart, lives ruined through substance abuse, and other things - entirely realistic, though, I guess, in that regard).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, and Grief
Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Cursing, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Dementia
Ink and Ashes by Valynne E. Maetani
challenging
emotional
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I want to preface my review by saying that I’m giving this one an arbitrary 5-star and do so from the perspective of an adult reading a YA book; I tend to rate YA a little more generously in knowing that my wheelhouse will always be adult, so I try my best to rate fairly and based off its merits and appeal to YA readers.
That said, I think it entirely deserves all the praise it has received and I’m honestly surprised I haven’t seen this book and author circulating more in the bookstagram world, because they should be!
Ink and Ashes is told from the perspective of Claire Takata, a smart, athletic, 17-year-old Japanese American. The Takata family consists of her mom, step-dad, and protective brothers. Her father died under questionable circumstances when she was younger, and as a few pieces of information come to light (mostly from Claire’s curiosity and ability to investigate without quite getting caught), things start getting a bit dangerous: it’s discovered that her dad was once a part of the yakuza, a Japanese organized crime syndicate, in his early years, but it seems that not all of it has been left in the past and laid to rest.
This was a fast-paced, mystery/thriller that I just couldn’t put down. As Maetani mentions in her authors note about learning more about her own Japanese heritage through the process of writing this book, I too really enjoyed learning a bit more as well and appreciating the culture and diversity that was shared through this story.
Ink and Ashes is written by Yalynne E. Maetani, a fourth-generation Japanese American (yonsei), and her experiences as someone whose family immigrated to the US in the early 1900s had a great impact on the way she chose to tell this story. Her author’s note was really meaningful, sharing how this writing experience allowed her to learn more about her own heritage and the purpose behind many things her family has always done. She wrote this story with her characters having a partial understanding of this, just as she did growing up, because she’s sure there are plenty other children and teens that are out there just like her.
I so appreciate the thought and consideration that went into sharing this story. It was a really well-done debut, and I can’t wait to see what will come next from Maetani.
That said, I think it entirely deserves all the praise it has received and I’m honestly surprised I haven’t seen this book and author circulating more in the bookstagram world, because they should be!
Ink and Ashes is told from the perspective of Claire Takata, a smart, athletic, 17-year-old Japanese American. The Takata family consists of her mom, step-dad, and protective brothers. Her father died under questionable circumstances when she was younger, and as a few pieces of information come to light (mostly from Claire’s curiosity and ability to investigate without quite getting caught), things start getting a bit dangerous: it’s discovered that her dad was once a part of the yakuza, a Japanese organized crime syndicate, in his early years, but it seems that not all of it has been left in the past and laid to rest.
This was a fast-paced, mystery/thriller that I just couldn’t put down. As Maetani mentions in her authors note about learning more about her own Japanese heritage through the process of writing this book, I too really enjoyed learning a bit more as well and appreciating the culture and diversity that was shared through this story.
Ink and Ashes is written by Yalynne E. Maetani, a fourth-generation Japanese American (yonsei), and her experiences as someone whose family immigrated to the US in the early 1900s had a great impact on the way she chose to tell this story. Her author’s note was really meaningful, sharing how this writing experience allowed her to learn more about her own heritage and the purpose behind many things her family has always done. She wrote this story with her characters having a partial understanding of this, just as she did growing up, because she’s sure there are plenty other children and teens that are out there just like her.
I so appreciate the thought and consideration that went into sharing this story. It was a really well-done debut, and I can’t wait to see what will come next from Maetani.
Written in Starlight by Isabel Ibañez
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Important Update to this Review:
My original review placed this book and its sequel at a four-star rating for me as there were so many things I initially loved about this story.
Since then, a kind bookstagram friend (thank you so much, @thewildmageslibrary) was gracious enough to send me to some own voices and Latinx reviewers who have pointed out the problems with this book, especially in relation to the portrayal of indigenous populations of Bolivia.
I have chosen to revoke my rating, and I highly recommend seeking out those reviews prior to making a decision about reading this series. (I would be happy to forward along some reviews that were shared with me that helped understand!)
My original review placed this book and its sequel at a four-star rating for me as there were so many things I initially loved about this story.
Since then, a kind bookstagram friend (thank you so much, @thewildmageslibrary) was gracious enough to send me to some own voices and Latinx reviewers who have pointed out the problems with this book, especially in relation to the portrayal of indigenous populations of Bolivia.
I have chosen to revoke my rating, and I highly recommend seeking out those reviews prior to making a decision about reading this series. (I would be happy to forward along some reviews that were shared with me that helped understand!)
Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
Important Update to this Review:
My original review placed this book and its sequel at a four-star rating for me as there were so many things I initially loved about this story.
Since then, a kind bookstagram friend (thank you so much, @thewildmageslibrary) was gracious enough to send me to some own voices and Latinx reviewers who have pointed out the problems with this book, especially in relation to the portrayal of indigenous populations of Bolivia.
I have chosen to revoke my rating, and I highly recommend seeking out those reviews prior to making a decision about reading this series. (I would be happy to forward along some reviews that were shared with me that helped understand!)
My original review placed this book and its sequel at a four-star rating for me as there were so many things I initially loved about this story.
Since then, a kind bookstagram friend (thank you so much, @thewildmageslibrary) was gracious enough to send me to some own voices and Latinx reviewers who have pointed out the problems with this book, especially in relation to the portrayal of indigenous populations of Bolivia.
I have chosen to revoke my rating, and I highly recommend seeking out those reviews prior to making a decision about reading this series. (I would be happy to forward along some reviews that were shared with me that helped understand!)
Recommended for You by Laura Silverman
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was such a fun little read. I’m a junior high school librarian and find that I really enjoy reading light YA romances like my students do, and this one is one that is sure to please. While there were times that I found the main character to be a little bit almost abrasive and obnoxious (more so in the beginning), and there were some phrases that were so repetitious as to be distracting (Jake smells like bread, we get it), it was still a fun romance with some positive lessons to be learned. I really loved the inclusivity and diversity of characters, strong women role models (lots of female empowerment), and I especially loved seeing a main character who was Jewish (I really enjoyed the bits of Yiddish sprinkled throughout!). As a librarian, I love everything bookish, and so the bookseller aspect was of course really fun. Overall, I think this will be a cute romance from unique perspective that my romance-loving students will thoroughly enjoy! I’m looking forward to recommending it.
Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What a strange little book.
I seemed to only pick this up at night when I was tired, so there were times when I found myself nodding off while trying to read and falling into a weird dream like reading state (which only added, I’m sure, to the strangeness of the book). I highly recommend this one for fans of Gaiman and Susanna Clarke. This was the predecessor to books like Stardust and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. The blending of worlds concept, at the time, was really new within what we’d later call the “fantasy genre” ... there were moments of faerie bleeding into the reality that characters of Lud-in-the-Mist had come to know so well, there was an off-centeredness of not quite knowing what was real, what was dream, and what was a different world pushing in ... as a reader at times, I felt like I was drifting off and snapping myself back no different than the characters were (again, I chalk this off to reading in a tired state). It was such a strange little read, and much more slower than I prefer (it took a dear bit of time to get going and even then, just a trot), but by the time I had maybe third to a quarter left, there was a weird bit of it that had grown on me, and by the end I felt a little sad even.
Strange little book.
I seemed to only pick this up at night when I was tired, so there were times when I found myself nodding off while trying to read and falling into a weird dream like reading state (which only added, I’m sure, to the strangeness of the book). I highly recommend this one for fans of Gaiman and Susanna Clarke. This was the predecessor to books like Stardust and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. The blending of worlds concept, at the time, was really new within what we’d later call the “fantasy genre” ... there were moments of faerie bleeding into the reality that characters of Lud-in-the-Mist had come to know so well, there was an off-centeredness of not quite knowing what was real, what was dream, and what was a different world pushing in ... as a reader at times, I felt like I was drifting off and snapping myself back no different than the characters were (again, I chalk this off to reading in a tired state). It was such a strange little read, and much more slower than I prefer (it took a dear bit of time to get going and even then, just a trot), but by the time I had maybe third to a quarter left, there was a weird bit of it that had grown on me, and by the end I felt a little sad even.
Strange little book.
Content Warnings
It was written in 1926 by a female author which is worth considering before diving in.
The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Here's to my first YA read of the year! If you know me, you know YA is not a go-to genre for me. If you do know me, though, you'll also know that I devoured "To All the Boys" and ACOTAR. It would seem, my friends, that I like a good YA romance. I never would've believed it if you had told me it was true.
That said, this book had so much more going on than just a modern Romeo & Juliet story (they don't die in the end, thank goodness!) — it tackles issues of culture, race, relationships with parents & familial obligations, and outdated societal expectations. So good.
That said, this book had so much more going on than just a modern Romeo & Juliet story (they don't die in the end, thank goodness!) — it tackles issues of culture, race, relationships with parents & familial obligations, and outdated societal expectations. So good.