aelis_'s review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Bullying
calamityin's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Lesbophobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia
Moderate: Gaslighting, Racism, Stalking, and Biphobia
Minor: Eating disorder and Outing
monicalaurette's review
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"I’m fat and I take up space, but that’s okay.”
I want to start this off by saying that I cried while reading this, and I don’t normally cry during my reading time. But the comfort and love, and shared trauma with Skye, that I experienced while reading this was just so much and I honestly loved every part of it. I think that this book is something that if I had it while I was in high school, would have utterly changed my life. Because it changed my life as a 25-year old.
As someone who grew up loving American Idol and other competition shows, and a current lover of The Masked Singer, I found it so fun to follow Skye in the background of it all. And as a plus-size woman who also has trauma surrounding that from my youth, this was such a nice book to read to remind myself that I’m still worthy of love and happiness. I wish that this book was 100 pages longer and was able to dig more into those moments too, just because I loved being in Skye’s world with every fiber of my being.
“You’re living your best life. They’re not.”
The only part that I didn’t like was how short the events of the finale were. I wanted to have more drama, I wanted to feel like I was there on that stage or in the audience, and I wanted to know what happened with Bora! It was a large build up to this event, that was over in a few paragraphs. However, besides that, I really and truly enjoyed this book.
I gave I’ll Be The One 4 stars because I loved it, but I wished it didn’t feel so rushed. I also saw somewhere (can’t find it now) that called this book 1 in a series and if Lyla writes about Skye’s time in Korea after the competition I’ll be sure to grab that book.
“You are beautiful. Don’t let anyone, not even yourself, tell you any different.”
Spoiler
Did anyone else get hairspray vibes from this? The conventionally attractive male celeb (in a small scale) falling in love with a bigger girl, really feels that way but with no racism plot line.Spoiler
I couldn’t help but think that it was partly Melinda’s fault that Bora made that fake reason to get Skye out of the dancing portion. Like my gut says she was one of the reasons….Spoiler
I almost didn’t want Henry & Skye together, especially after they both came out to each other. I think it would have been nice to have them just be friends after it all and maybe have them in same-sex relationships by the end. But not mad that they’re together, because we got consent for the first kiss which is something I love seeing!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia and Bullying
kaitlinlovesbooks's review
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia and Bullying
Minor: Biphobia
zombiezami's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Outing, Homophobia, Biphobia, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Injury/injury detail
nerdinthelibrary's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Absolutely adored this! Essential fat girl literature. We need more bi4bi M/F couples in contemporary!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Fatphobia
Moderate: Homophobia and Bullying
sara_yearofreadingdangerously's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Bullying, Body shaming, and Emotional abuse
kaneli's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Racism, Cultural appropriation, Outing, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
nitya's review
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book!!!!!!!!!!!! I have too many emotions 😭😭😭🥰🥰😭😭
As a plus size Asian (YES WE EXIST), I loved Skye's strength and self-love journey. It was both affirming and cathartic. Also the female friendships/solidarity!!! And Henry being soft and supportive 🥺
Content warning: fatphobia/body shaming, bullying, emotional abuse, queerphobia, homophobia, racism (microaggressions), Harry Potter references (this was written in 2018 though)
As a plus size Asian (YES WE EXIST), I loved Skye's strength and self-love journey. It was both affirming and cathartic. Also the female friendships/solidarity!!! And Henry being soft and supportive 🥺
Content warning: fatphobia/body shaming, bullying, emotional abuse, queerphobia, homophobia, racism (microaggressions), Harry Potter references (this was written in 2018 though)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Bullying
Moderate: Biphobia, Racism, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
lily1304's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Delightfully unsubtly fat-positive, it's like the whole point of the book. It's a really fun, cute adventure, but we still get to see Skye's very realistic struggles with body image and harassment. I also really appreciate that Skye is explicitly bisexual even though the love interest is a guy so it doesn't "matter" to the plot - like yeah, make her queer! Why not?
Also, oh my god,
Also, oh my god,
Spoiler
the super hot love interest guy is ALSO BISEXUAL? I love it, I need more bisexual male characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Bullying, and Body shaming
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia