amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, Grief, and Racism
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
imstephtacular's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A fresh take on a time travel story. I thought the mother-daughter elements were done well and were handled in a complex, yet fun at times, way. The book felt a little long in parts, but overall I really enjoyed this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Sexism
Moderate: Classism, Cursing, Body shaming, Bullying, Misogyny, Alcohol, Xenophobia, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Grief
Minor: Car accident, Colonisation, Death of parent, Medical content, Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Vomit, Homophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Lesbophobia
btwnprintedpgs's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Classism, Grief, and Sexism
Moderate: Bullying
arthur_ant18's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Classism, and Bullying
Minor: Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Body shaming
devynreadsnovels's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Classism, Cursing, and Racism
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Homophobia, Grief, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, and Dementia
Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Body shaming, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
betweentheshelves's review
emotional
funny
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
3.5
First of all, the fact that this is a YA book and they go back in time to the 90s because that's when her mom was a teenager just makes me feel old. I just think of going back in time for that to be further back. But this is where we are currently at. So.
Nevertheless, this was an overall really enjoyable story. It's your typical "go back in time to fix my relationship with a parent" type of story, so most of the story was a tad predictable. I did enjoy how Sam gained a new perspective for both her mom and her halmoni. You get that interwoven story of immigration in there, and the way perspectives have changed since the 90s. There was a lot packed in the story, and it made it really easy to read.
There is a slight plot twist in there that I didn't see coming, so I appreciated that! If I remember correctly, Sam is a sophomore, so I was a little confused as to why she was completing college apps? But maybe I'm remembering that incorrectly. Some of the time travel details were also a bit vague, though that's maybe on purpose. Time travel itself is vague.
This would also make a great movie, so movie companies take note! Stop re-making things and make new movies instead. I would watch this in a heartbeat.
Nevertheless, this was an overall really enjoyable story. It's your typical "go back in time to fix my relationship with a parent" type of story, so most of the story was a tad predictable. I did enjoy how Sam gained a new perspective for both her mom and her halmoni. You get that interwoven story of immigration in there, and the way perspectives have changed since the 90s. There was a lot packed in the story, and it made it really easy to read.
There is a slight plot twist in there that I didn't see coming, so I appreciated that! If I remember correctly, Sam is a sophomore, so I was a little confused as to why she was completing college apps? But maybe I'm remembering that incorrectly. Some of the time travel details were also a bit vague, though that's maybe on purpose. Time travel itself is vague.
This would also make a great movie, so movie companies take note! Stop re-making things and make new movies instead. I would watch this in a heartbeat.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Racism, and Classism
Minor: Death of parent
novelty_reads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.0
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Ever since I read I Believe in a Thing Called Love and Somewhere Only We Know I have loved Maurene Goo's books. When I got the review copy of Throwback I knew I was in for a treat. With a pitch like "Back to the Future meets the Joy Luck Club" how could you not get excited? I was saving this book knowing this would be my next bookish obsession and I was right! I feel a book hangover coming on.
Throwback follows Samantha Kang, a seventeen year old girl who has a rocky relationship with her mother. Where Sam perceives her mom as cold, stoic and obsessed with presenting a good image, Samantha can't help but feel like they are worlds apart. When a fight leads to Sam taking a magical ride share all the way back to 1995, Sam realises that maybe her mom and her have more in common than first thought. She realises that by helping her mom win Homecoming Queen and preventing a fight afterwards between her and her grandmother she can return to her timeline and complete the mission she was brought back in time for.
Admittedly, this book took me a while to get into. I wanted it to be a little more fast paced because it did have a slow build up. The build up was necessary to develop the characters and their backstories but I was just waiting for a bit more action during the first two thirds of the book.
Action aside though, the build up was necessary because it meant we wouldn't be able to connect with Priscilla and Sam otherwise. We were meant to side with Sam of the present and see Priscilla as unreasonable but in all honesty, both characters had their flaws and none of them could be framed as bad, just misunderstood. This was the case when Sam time traveled to when her mom was a teenager where she discovered the girl behind her mom's tough exterior. Sam started understanding her and her mom started understanding her back, discussing how even though they don't understand each other all the time, they still love one another and show this in ways the other may not always understand.
It did take me a while to like Sam to be honest. She always saw her mom as unfair but in the process of showing her mom as such, she seemed that way herself. By the end though, I started to like her. I liked Priscilla, the 1995 throwback version, from the get-go. She seemed tough like her future self but I liked how the closer she and Sam got, the more those layers fell away and we got to see this girl who just wanted to fit in and live out her dreams.
And the ending? The ending made the whole book all the more worth it. I loved every bit about the ending and found it so perfect. If you are a rom-com fan, this will definitely make you swoon and happy grin like I did reading on my iPad. I'm so happy about Priscilla's ending and Sam's ending. I'm giddy just writing about it.
All in all, if you want a feel good book with the kind of 90's vibe you felt like you've been missing, definitely give this book a read. If you're in the mood for a rom-com that's more than just the girl gets the guy with a few shenanigans thrown in the mix, that discusses big themes and has lots of heart, then this one is for you.
ACTUAL RATING: 3.9 STARS
Ever since I read I Believe in a Thing Called Love and Somewhere Only We Know I have loved Maurene Goo's books. When I got the review copy of Throwback I knew I was in for a treat. With a pitch like "Back to the Future meets the Joy Luck Club" how could you not get excited? I was saving this book knowing this would be my next bookish obsession and I was right! I feel a book hangover coming on.
Throwback follows Samantha Kang, a seventeen year old girl who has a rocky relationship with her mother. Where Sam perceives her mom as cold, stoic and obsessed with presenting a good image, Samantha can't help but feel like they are worlds apart. When a fight leads to Sam taking a magical ride share all the way back to 1995, Sam realises that maybe her mom and her have more in common than first thought. She realises that by helping her mom win Homecoming Queen and preventing a fight afterwards between her and her grandmother she can return to her timeline and complete the mission she was brought back in time for.
Admittedly, this book took me a while to get into. I wanted it to be a little more fast paced because it did have a slow build up. The build up was necessary to develop the characters and their backstories but I was just waiting for a bit more action during the first two thirds of the book.
Action aside though, the build up was necessary because it meant we wouldn't be able to connect with Priscilla and Sam otherwise. We were meant to side with Sam of the present and see Priscilla as unreasonable but in all honesty, both characters had their flaws and none of them could be framed as bad, just misunderstood. This was the case when Sam time traveled to when her mom was a teenager where she discovered the girl behind her mom's tough exterior. Sam started understanding her and her mom started understanding her back, discussing how even though they don't understand each other all the time, they still love one another and show this in ways the other may not always understand.
It did take me a while to like Sam to be honest. She always saw her mom as unfair but in the process of showing her mom as such, she seemed that way herself. By the end though, I started to like her. I liked Priscilla, the 1995 throwback version, from the get-go. She seemed tough like her future self but I liked how the closer she and Sam got, the more those layers fell away and we got to see this girl who just wanted to fit in and live out her dreams.
And the ending? The ending made the whole book all the more worth it. I loved every bit about the ending and found it so perfect. If you are a rom-com fan, this will definitely make you swoon and happy grin like I did reading on my iPad. I'm so happy about Priscilla's ending and Sam's ending. I'm giddy just writing about it.
All in all, if you want a feel good book with the kind of 90's vibe you felt like you've been missing, definitely give this book a read. If you're in the mood for a rom-com that's more than just the girl gets the guy with a few shenanigans thrown in the mix, that discusses big themes and has lots of heart, then this one is for you.
ACTUAL RATING: 3.9 STARS
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Dementia, Bullying, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Classism
kittyg1126's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
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
Really enjoyed Throwback. I loved how Maureen took the time-travel nature of this book and made it feel like I was reliving my high school in the 90s. I loved Sam's character and really related to her mother, Priscilla. Who hasn't felt misunderstood by their parents as a teenager? I loved how it was a modern time travel and that they had effects in the future timeline. The only thing missing in this book is more information on how the present was altered for the other students based on the changes in 1995. I really wish this book was longer with those details.
I would really recommend this book to any YA reader who feels their parents don't understand them and to any adult who feels their kids are ungrateful for their hard work as parents.
I would really recommend this book to any YA reader who feels their parents don't understand them and to any adult who feels their kids are ungrateful for their hard work as parents.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Xenophobia
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