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ashfrxns's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
acho que a tjr perdeu um pouco do charme nesse livro. gostei da carrie e dos personagens mas não tanto quanto gostei de personagens de outros livros dela.
fiquei extremamente entediada com os jogos pq não entendia nada, não queria pegar no livro de jeito nenhum e peguei raiva da Carrie por estar sendo uma babaca da metade do livro em diante, msm sabendo q era pro desenvolvimento dela (pq aliás não ficou parecendo viu)
fora isso, a autora n sabe ditar o ritmo do livro. demora uma eternidade pra achar uma pessoa pra jogar contra ela, mas em 40% do nada ela consegue sparring e gente pra jogar facilmente, os jogos que ela perde são narrados por páginas e os que ela ganha a gente só descobre pq algm narrador falou q ela ganhou 50 jogos de uma vez.
também achei q o desenvolvimento da relação dela com a nicki ficou mt pro final então não ficou tão boa quanto poderia ser, além de ter deixado o final super corrido e o desenvolvimento da carrie ter passado uma vibe meio livro de auto ajuda, dá quase pra falar q a taylor tava trocando idéia com o autor de a biblioteca da meia noite
apesar disso deu pra se divertir um pouco com a carrie mandando tomar no cu todo homem que aparecia na frente dela
fiquei extremamente entediada com os jogos pq não entendia nada, não queria pegar no livro de jeito nenhum e peguei raiva da Carrie por estar sendo uma babaca da metade do livro em diante, msm sabendo q era pro desenvolvimento dela (pq aliás não ficou parecendo viu)
fora isso, a autora n sabe ditar o ritmo do livro. demora uma eternidade pra achar uma pessoa pra jogar contra ela, mas em 40% do nada ela consegue sparring e gente pra jogar facilmente, os jogos que ela perde são narrados por páginas e os que ela ganha a gente só descobre pq algm narrador falou q ela ganhou 50 jogos de uma vez.
também achei q o desenvolvimento da relação dela com a nicki ficou mt pro final então não ficou tão boa quanto poderia ser, além de ter deixado o final super corrido e o desenvolvimento da carrie ter passado uma vibe meio livro de auto ajuda, dá quase pra falar q a taylor tava trocando idéia com o autor de a biblioteca da meia noite
apesar disso deu pra se divertir um pouco com a carrie mandando tomar no cu todo homem que aparecia na frente dela
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cursing and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Xenophobia, and Alcohol
chrisljm's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As someone who knows nothing about tennis, seeing the events of the tournaments play out was riveting. Carrie is a tough personality to love but I can’t help but hope she accomplishes all that she strives for. What makes this tough is it’s also difficult not to root for her main opponent Nicki Chan. Both characters have such compelling reasons to fight for their legacy, and still the end results are so satisfying.
However, I did wish TJR gave more depth to Carrie and her tennis career prior to her comeback, in a more showing and less telling way, but even so, I was able to feel her strength and determination with the sport, as well as the love between her and her father.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, and Blood
laguerrelewis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
This is my first book by Jenkins-Reid, and what an introduction. She has a masterful understanding of character, and crafts a beautifully moving story about success, meaning, love, ambition, identity, and resilience. The tennis matches have been praised consistently, and for good reason—they thrill, and are understandable to the layman and enjoyable for the fans. Carrie Soto is a rollercoaster of emotion that had me grinning ear to ear as tears rolled down my cheeks. Bonus points for a romantic plotline straight out of an Austen novel. Great showing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
kfquarium's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Cursing and Grief
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
allisonz6's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
booksalacarte's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
5⭐️ 2🌶️
Tennis
Professional Athlete
Loving the dream
Comeback
Older MC’s (mid-late 30’s)
Underdog
Unapologetic female elite athlete
Misogyny
Second chance Romance
Grumpy/sunshine
Biggest fan parent
Single father
Self discovery/rediscovery
Did I know anything about tennis before reading this book? Absolutely not.
Do I know anything after reading?….. maybe? I could probably watch it and not be bored now.
Did I love this book? Yes. Yesyesyes.
The structure was so interesting! TJR never fails to set books up to be structurally interesting in a way that enhances the story. Having the FMC’s POV broken up by sportscasters commentary about her game and competition was an awesome way to build tension and get the feel of the nature and stakes of the story.
I always love TJR’s Easter eggs for her other books. That they all live in this alternative universe together.
Carrie was an unapologetic, hard as nails, powerhouse of a character and I loved every second of balancing on the edge of her sarcasm and intensity while her inner monologue showed us exactly how insecure she is. It made her superhuman abilities more human.
The romance in the book was so interesting in how it was presented as iron sharpening iron. Both were so flawed and watching things develop was great. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Carrie’s relationship with her father was so beautiful and my favorite thing about the book. It was dynamic, full of ups and downs, heartbreaking. I was fully invested. The grief represented in the book was so well done. I found myself adoring her father which made the arc of the story so amazing.
This is a favorite. But TJR’s books always are for me.
Tennis
Professional Athlete
Loving the dream
Comeback
Older MC’s (mid-late 30’s)
Underdog
Unapologetic female elite athlete
Misogyny
Second chance Romance
Grumpy/sunshine
Biggest fan parent
Single father
Self discovery/rediscovery
Did I know anything about tennis before reading this book? Absolutely not.
Do I know anything after reading?….. maybe? I could probably watch it and not be bored now.
Did I love this book? Yes. Yesyesyes.
The structure was so interesting! TJR never fails to set books up to be structurally interesting in a way that enhances the story. Having the FMC’s POV broken up by sportscasters commentary about her game and competition was an awesome way to build tension and get the feel of the nature and stakes of the story.
I always love TJR’s Easter eggs for her other books. That they all live in this alternative universe together.
Carrie was an unapologetic, hard as nails, powerhouse of a character and I loved every second of balancing on the edge of her sarcasm and intensity while her inner monologue showed us exactly how insecure she is. It made her superhuman abilities more human.
The romance in the book was so interesting in how it was presented as iron sharpening iron. Both were so flawed and watching things develop was great. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Carrie’s relationship with her father was so beautiful and my favorite thing about the book. It was dynamic, full of ups and downs, heartbreaking. I was fully invested. The grief represented in the book was so well done. I found myself adoring her father which made the arc of the story so amazing.
This is a favorite. But TJR’s books always are for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
grunbean's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Another Taylor Jenkins-Reid book, another book that can’t be put down. I’d describe a lot of her work as ‘sleeper’ books’. I was unsure when I first started reading (partly because I know nothing about tennis), but once I hit the midpoint I couldn’t stop reading until it was done.
There is something so unique about how this author can bring so much to stories I wouldn’t have blinked twice at. A really good read - perfect for the summer!
There is something so unique about how this author can bring so much to stories I wouldn’t have blinked twice at. A really good read - perfect for the summer!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
I loved this book! It is so heartwarming and I was rooting for Carrie the whole time even when she was unreasonable. I loved her relationship with her dad and how they had to work for a balance between father/daughter and coach/player. I lowkey wanna start playing tennis now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, and Medical content
Minor: Misogyny
hdoomk's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, and Alcohol
sefrahudman's review against another edition
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
I liked this book a lot for how unlikable the main character was for most of the book. She was written that way and so it made her very real feeling and somewhat enduring at times. I like that she got some good growth near the end of the book. I also really appreciated that. I spoke Spanish, because as I listened to the audiobook, if I had not, I would have lost a lot of what was being said. Most of the exchanges were probably pretty easy to follow even if you didn’t speak Spanish, but it is definitely an asset in the audiobook being able to just listen and know what was being said. Speaking of the audiobook, it was perfection. They had all the different voices and clips that sounded like it was actually a newscast, and it was awesome!
I felt like the explanations of tennis were very accessible for somebody who didn’t really understand very much about tennis before this book. I still got sort of confused sometimes with the difference between a game, a match and a set, but it was fine, and I was able to still get excited about the matches or games or whatever they were.
I felt like the explanations of tennis were very accessible for somebody who didn’t really understand very much about tennis before this book. I still got sort of confused sometimes with the difference between a game, a match and a set, but it was fine, and I was able to still get excited about the matches or games or whatever they were.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Minor: Lesbophobia