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syl_val15's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 out of 5 stars.
This was my first time reading a Katie Cotugno book. Out of her many books I chose specifically Top Ten, because the synopsis screamed that it would be a friends to lovers trope, which is my all-time favorite. I will always have a soft spot for that.
What I liked:
- I loved how the author focused on Gabby: Her being bi, and having anxiety issues.
Usually, people think that having mental illnesses are bad and makes them weaker than everyone else. That isn't true, at all. Having any kind of a mental disorder should be talked about and is important to be acknowledged as anything else. I personally found Gabby's anxiety and her having panic attacks whenever she was in an unknown crowd very relatable and not unrealistic at all. I think those parts were very well done.
I also loved how casual she was about her sexuality and that her parents didn't make a big issue out of it.
- The very unlikely friendship of Ryan and Gabby. for example: Ryan was one of the few people, who gave Gabby comfort and talked her through an attack and made her feel better afterwards.
- Gabby's family were the best part.
- Neither Ryan nor Gabby were perfect teenagers, despite her having a supportive family or him being super popular at school. They all had their struggles, either there were circumstances at home or health issues.
What I didn't like:
- Confusing timeline, it was constantly jumping back and forth within the four years of Gabby and Ryan's friendship
- Ryan's dad: He was very critical towards his son and his behaviour was very immature.
- There was no character developement in neither protagonists.
- The main characters especially Gabby was constantly questioning her friendship with Ryan, because he was popular/ a hockey player and she's not.
Romance was always present throughout the book, naturally. Gabby and Ryan both explored serious relationships with other people. Although I liked Gabby's relationship with Shay and Ryan's relationship wasn't so bad either with Chelsea, I wanted them to be together, because I can't help it. I can't just read a book that are about friendships between a boy and a girl and not ship them together.
Overall, I enjoyed the story from the very beginning, it's a perfect summer read filled with heartwarming moments and ups and downs of a friendship, but the ending left me a little wanting. It's not my fault that I want all characters I came to love have a HEA together.
This was my first time reading a Katie Cotugno book. Out of her many books I chose specifically Top Ten, because the synopsis screamed that it would be a friends to lovers trope, which is my all-time favorite. I will always have a soft spot for that.
What I liked:
- I loved how the author focused on Gabby: Her being bi, and having anxiety issues.
Usually, people think that having mental illnesses are bad and makes them weaker than everyone else. That isn't true, at all. Having any kind of a mental disorder should be talked about and is important to be acknowledged as anything else. I personally found Gabby's anxiety and her having panic attacks whenever she was in an unknown crowd very relatable and not unrealistic at all. I think those parts were very well done.
I also loved how casual she was about her sexuality and that her parents didn't make a big issue out of it.
- The very unlikely friendship of Ryan and Gabby. for example: Ryan was one of the few people, who gave Gabby comfort and talked her through an attack and made her feel better afterwards.
- Gabby's family were the best part.
- Neither Ryan nor Gabby were perfect teenagers, despite her having a supportive family or him being super popular at school. They all had their struggles, either there were circumstances at home or health issues.
What I didn't like:
- Confusing timeline, it was constantly jumping back and forth within the four years of Gabby and Ryan's friendship
- Ryan's dad: He was very critical towards his son and his behaviour was very immature.
- There was no character developement in neither protagonists.
- The main characters especially Gabby was constantly questioning her friendship with Ryan, because he was popular/ a hockey player and she's not.
Romance was always present throughout the book, naturally. Gabby and Ryan both explored serious relationships with other people. Although I liked Gabby's relationship with Shay and Ryan's relationship wasn't so bad either with Chelsea, I wanted them to be together, because I can't help it. I can't just read a book that are about friendships between a boy and a girl and not ship them together.
Overall, I enjoyed the story from the very beginning, it's a perfect summer read filled with heartwarming moments and ups and downs of a friendship, but the ending left me a little wanting. It's not my fault that I want all characters I came to love have a HEA together.
jessatthebyndery's review
4.0
What a cute contemporary read. It was heartwarming. This is my first read by Katie Cotugno and I cant wait to read more. Gabby was extremely relatable to me with her social anxieties. Ryan was just the best so understanding and never faulted her for it.
bsagz34's review
1.0
I wanted to love this book so but unfortunately this book is just such a no from me.
The entire book is just a break down of the two main characters EXTREMELY toxic relationship. It was a snooze fest, I could not connect to any of the characters, the characters were a mix of the most cliche YA characters ever and just totally unnecessary characters, and the plot was poorly thought out.
I LOVE a cheesy romance novel but like I said the two main characters relationship is so toxic that it’s hard to read cause it’s just so stupid. And I’m happy that the author tried to bring in the LGBTQ+ community and have the element of a teen with sever anxiety but the way the author describes Gabby as “anxious” is annoying. The way the author decries her she seems like she literally CAN NOT function is any capacity when faced with anything that she deems remotely uncomfortable like to the point she does kind of seem insane. And I know that I sound really mean saying that, but from a standpoint of someone who actually has extreme anxiety it makes me super annoyed that anxiety is portrayed that way in this book.
Just honestly the whole book is just a shit show that looks promising from the beginning but just goes down hill fast. I kind of like Ryan other than the fact that he is a total man hoe, but oh boy did Gabby get on my nerves. She is such a Debbie Downer and throughout the book it becomes more and more obvious that she is actually kinda crazy. She hate every girl that Ryan gets with and is low key jealous but as soon as she and Ryan get together she just decides that they don’t work. And every reason that they don’t work is because of her but she tried to make it seem like it’s all him. He seemed completely happy and on cloud 9 because he finally has the girl of his dreams.
And I don’t know I just really did not like this book in the slightest and it is very rare that I hate a book as much as I hate this one. Do with this information as you will, it didn’t work out for me but it might for you.
The entire book is just a break down of the two main characters EXTREMELY toxic relationship. It was a snooze fest, I could not connect to any of the characters, the characters were a mix of the most cliche YA characters ever and just totally unnecessary characters, and the plot was poorly thought out.
I LOVE a cheesy romance novel but like I said the two main characters relationship is so toxic that it’s hard to read cause it’s just so stupid. And I’m happy that the author tried to bring in the LGBTQ+ community and have the element of a teen with sever anxiety but the way the author describes Gabby as “anxious” is annoying. The way the author decries her she seems like she literally CAN NOT function is any capacity when faced with anything that she deems remotely uncomfortable like to the point she does kind of seem insane. And I know that I sound really mean saying that, but from a standpoint of someone who actually has extreme anxiety it makes me super annoyed that anxiety is portrayed that way in this book.
Just honestly the whole book is just a shit show that looks promising from the beginning but just goes down hill fast. I kind of like Ryan other than the fact that he is a total man hoe, but oh boy did Gabby get on my nerves. She is such a Debbie Downer and throughout the book it becomes more and more obvious that she is actually kinda crazy. She hate every girl that Ryan gets with and is low key jealous but as soon as she and Ryan get together she just decides that they don’t work. And every reason that they don’t work is because of her but she tried to make it seem like it’s all him. He seemed completely happy and on cloud 9 because he finally has the girl of his dreams.
And I don’t know I just really did not like this book in the slightest and it is very rare that I hate a book as much as I hate this one. Do with this information as you will, it didn’t work out for me but it might for you.
amyhungerford's review
3.0
Its a solid contemporary. I was a little disappointed with the ending.
I get that friendships are important! I really do! And in real life, I love the idea of a boy and girl being best friends with no sexual tension. But I am a sap of a garbage person and in my books I want people to end up together happily ever after.
I get that friendships are important! I really do! And in real life, I love the idea of a boy and girl being best friends with no sexual tension. But I am a sap of a garbage person and in my books I want people to end up together happily ever after.
heyitslittlebit's review
3.0
This is the second book I've read by Katie Cotugno and I liked it a lot better than the first one I read (Fireworks) by her, although this book is not without fault. Unfortunately, the only issues I really have with this book are some of the same issues I had with Fireworks.
The characters had more depth this time, which was good, because because flat characters annoy me so much. Each of the MCs in this book have their own little quirks and things they do that breathe some life into them though. There's some exploration of sexuality, anxiety and other mental health, and parent-child relationships.
The BIGGEST problem I have again, is that the characters are insanely hostile towards each other most of the time. Like, they're best friends, but throughout the entire book, hostility. This was my main issue with Fireworks as well. The characters are always super defensive and argumentative, and it's just kinda odd to me.
Another thing that I noticed, and it took me a while, but whenever one of the characters gets uncomfortable, the other one tends to say "Hey, its me", in a reassuring way but after hearing it in 2 books, like 20 times I'm just like okay Adele. (Hello..... its me.)
Aside from those two things, I enjoyed this book. Its not in chronological order which confused me for like 30 pages, but then I realized its literally a top 10 list, and I'm pretty sure it was obvious in the book's description and I just overlooked it.
If you like real, raw, messy relationships, you might enjoy this book. It's definitely different from the usual cute, cheesy contemporaries that I like, but it still gave me the feels.
The characters had more depth this time, which was good, because because flat characters annoy me so much. Each of the MCs in this book have their own little quirks and things they do that breathe some life into them though. There's some exploration of sexuality, anxiety and other mental health, and parent-child relationships.
The BIGGEST problem I have again, is that the characters are insanely hostile towards each other most of the time. Like, they're best friends, but throughout the entire book, hostility. This was my main issue with Fireworks as well. The characters are always super defensive and argumentative, and it's just kinda odd to me.
Another thing that I noticed, and it took me a while, but whenever one of the characters gets uncomfortable, the other one tends to say "Hey, its me", in a reassuring way but after hearing it in 2 books, like 20 times I'm just like okay Adele. (Hello..... its me.)
Aside from those two things, I enjoyed this book. Its not in chronological order which confused me for like 30 pages, but then I realized its literally a top 10 list, and I'm pretty sure it was obvious in the book's description and I just overlooked it.
If you like real, raw, messy relationships, you might enjoy this book. It's definitely different from the usual cute, cheesy contemporaries that I like, but it still gave me the feels.
tianamaelyn's review
3.0
This book was entertaining enough to read and keep me interested. I absolutely loved the characters and their relationship together. I even saw myself in Gabby a little bit. But the way it was written was putting me off on a higher rating. It could have definitely been written in so many different ways. However, the last three chapters really pulled the story together.
clp34's review
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
deannanedanis's review
2.0
*spoiler alert
Okay it’s the next day and I’m back because I’m angry. I understand that this book could be depicting real life with the whole friends to lovers to friends but THATS NOT WHAT I WANT TO READ ABOUT. Clearly they both have issues and that’s why the relationship didn’t work romantically. Ryan is in love with her and forever will be, gabby clearly sees things platonically. Sad but life like. I really thought I was gonna be reading a cute love story so that was what disappointed me.
Spoiler
So you’re telling me, after ALL that, they don’t end up together????? *internally sobbing* The friends to lovers trope disappointed with the endingOkay it’s the next day and I’m back because I’m angry. I understand that this book could be depicting real life with the whole friends to lovers to friends but THATS NOT WHAT I WANT TO READ ABOUT. Clearly they both have issues and that’s why the relationship didn’t work romantically. Ryan is in love with her and forever will be, gabby clearly sees things platonically. Sad but life like. I really thought I was gonna be reading a cute love story so that was what disappointed me.
3mmakatariina's review
2.0
I had higher expectations for this one because i have seen booktubers raving about her books (the newer ones tho). The start was promising but then the entire story went just down. It really bothered me that the chapters weren’t chronological order and it messed up the timeline as a junk of plot was sometimes explained later. Also the relationship between Ryan and Gabby was just a complete mess in my mind. (Also kinda hate Gabby’s sister) I even didn’t really like most of the characters lmao.
heidifrank206's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5