Reviews

Best Friends by Shannon Hale

sarahblessing's review against another edition

5.0

good lord the way this series hits home!!

e_reader124's review against another edition

4.0

I read "Real Friends" all the time in elementary school. It was one of the many books that I would reread over and over and over again. Yet, for some reason, I never read any of the sequels to it until now. Strange, I know. But the past is in the past. Before I started this book, I tried rereading "Real Friends" in order to get a refresher, despite remembering so much about it. I ended up deciding not to, as I found that I was so focused on being able to regurgitate everything that happened, I wasn't able to just sit back and enjoy the book. Now I'm glad I didn't, seeing how it wasn't necessary, and it probably would have affected how much I liked it. So, now that that little introduction is over, let's get to the actual book. Despite some weak points, this is an impactful graphic novel that touches on so much in a truly genuine way. So, going off of that, the first thing I Ioved about this book was how real it felt. At first glance, worrying about what's cool and what isn't in sixth grade and whether boys notice you may not seem very deep, but the book manages to make it that and show how it all is deep. It also isn't just those things; Shannon's anxiety and her friendship troubles are also addressed, and in all honesty, these last two really hit me on a personal level. They felt too real. Everything was a punch to the gut here. While I didn't go through all that she went though, it all still hit me on that level. I also liked the pacing of the story. It wasn't going too fast and shoving everything down my throat. However, it also wasn't going so slow, I was bored to tears. It made for the type of read that you could settle with anytime, be fully engaged in, and finish quickly. I also had some things I liked and disliked about the story. I liked reading what happened; everything that happened was interesting, and always played a part in one way or another. Many of the parts were pieced together in a way that made it all relevant and interesting. For instance. I liked the bits of Shannon's story about Alexandra. They added Shannon's signature touch of fantasy and joy to the story. The only thing I didn't like about the story was how the story lacked a bit in the beginning. There were certain parts that I just didn't like, or felt much. Other than this, though, this book was great, and I am very much looking forward to what's next.

kirstenrose22's review against another edition

5.0

Shannon Hale is amazing and this book is as good as the first in the series. I hope there are more!

rebekah_23's review against another edition

5.0

this was just some random graphic novel, but it was good. this book is about shannon and her struggles with friends and school. i liked this book better than the first one. overall, i loved this!!

bibliogeekgirl's review against another edition

5.0

This was a chapter sampler.

Great beginning. Art by Pham is wonderful. Can't wait to read the rest!

smalfoy94's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

heatherinjapan's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

faithtrustpixiedust's review against another edition

5.0

Accidentally read the second book in the series first but oh well!! You don't have to read it in order obviously!

I definitely cried reading this. Absolutely phenomenal! I was expecting something mostly for kids, but my 24-year-old heart needed this right now. I completely relate to Shannon's experiences, and this helped me realize that I'm still a work in progress and not a failed venture. Highly recommend!

books_inthewild's review against another edition

5.0

Real Friends and Best Friends are THE books/graphic novels for middle school girls. TEN OUT OF TEN recommend- friendship issues, school issues, new “crush” issues, anxiety, jealousy, family struggles, etc etc! Told with honesty & authenticity- 100% know that grade 5-7 girls will love these books and will relate to every situation!
As an adult- and a teacher of this grade level- I ALSO truly enjoyed and appreciated these graphic novels ❤️

happylilkt's review against another edition

4.0

I relate so much to Shannon Hale in this series. I never knew how to navigate these friendships and had so much stress trying to. There was so much I loved about school, but 4-8th grades were so tough socially--she captures it perfectly.