luna_rondo's review against another edition
3.0
This type of book is right up my alley. Sweet and cute and about love, friendship and music... so then why did I feel such disappointment?
Everything happened really quick - they fight, they are best friends next chapter. How unhealthy the relationship is between Meg and Jake; and when it's mentioned it starts the aforementioned fight. Matt's excuse. And I get that for a book that's less than 300 pages, things do need to wrap up too quickly. Still, I think things could have been resolved a bit better.
Reading it I had such a strong attachment to Ella. I was Ella, or at least a part of me resembled her, and I have a Meg. I loved hr to death, but yes, there were times I thought she was so much better than me. But there were things that she was jealous over as me as well (apparently, you really do learn when you get older!). So a cute, fluffy story, but don't get your hopes up.
Everything happened really quick - they fight, they are best friends next chapter. How unhealthy the relationship is between Meg and Jake; and when it's mentioned it starts the aforementioned fight. Matt's excuse. And I get that for a book that's less than 300 pages, things do need to wrap up too quickly. Still, I think things could have been resolved a bit better.
Reading it I had such a strong attachment to Ella. I was Ella, or at least a part of me resembled her, and I have a Meg. I loved hr to death, but yes, there were times I thought she was so much better than me. But there were things that she was jealous over as me as well (apparently, you really do learn when you get older!). So a cute, fluffy story, but don't get your hopes up.
wandereaderr's review against another edition
5.0
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I absolutely love the plot of this book—the entire concept of just saying yes the entire night to anything and everything. I actually want to do this one-day. Maybe I’ll do it when my 21st birthday happens to roll around here soon! Gibaldi executed this concept so effortlessly. And honestly, there’s such a deeper meaning to it, as well. Our protagonist, Ella, through saying yes on both nights that are explored, learns how to finally be brave. Ella said she wanted some of Meg’s—her best friend’s—spotlight. But here’s the thing: Ella didn’t need Meg’s spotlight. She had her own the entire time just waiting for her. And I cried when she finally discovered it...
I absolutely love the plot of this book—the entire concept of just saying yes the entire night to anything and everything. I actually want to do this one-day. Maybe I’ll do it when my 21st birthday happens to roll around here soon! Gibaldi executed this concept so effortlessly. And honestly, there’s such a deeper meaning to it, as well. Our protagonist, Ella, through saying yes on both nights that are explored, learns how to finally be brave. Ella said she wanted some of Meg’s—her best friend’s—spotlight. But here’s the thing: Ella didn’t need Meg’s spotlight. She had her own the entire time just waiting for her. And I cried when she finally discovered it...
julieabe89's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
If you like YA contemporary circa 2015 you will probably enjoy this book. I struggled with it. Both the mc and her love interest were painfully self-absorbed. The jumping back and forth on the first time they were together and now really made it hard to keep track of where we were. I'm sure it was to show the symmetry in their relationship but it did not work for me.
ajoannaspg's review against another edition
2.0
i can’t stop laughing. this book, bless it, reads like one of those one directions self insert fanfics i used to read at 15.
all those small quirky things the main bff have Always Done, it’s Their Thing, AAAA I CAN’T
and !!! lmao the fact that The Main Love Interest is all like,,,, i’m sad so i do sad things, and the protag is like “yikes... it really be like that sometimes :/” and he’s like YOU’RE THE ONLY PERSON WHO’S EVER UNDERSTOO D ME
i’m done goodbye
all those small quirky things the main bff have Always Done, it’s Their Thing, AAAA I CAN’T
and !!! lmao the fact that The Main Love Interest is all like,,,, i’m sad so i do sad things, and the protag is like “yikes... it really be like that sometimes :/” and he’s like YOU’RE THE ONLY PERSON WHO’S EVER UNDERSTOO D ME
i’m done goodbye
jang's review against another edition
3.0
I like this because it's a quick and easy read. The story is simple, if not a bit too happy and positive (for my liking). The scenarios are ideal but it's not always this simple and cute irl.
I also like the transition between the chapters, the Nows and Thens, the currents and the throwbacks. It made me curious and it made it hard for me to put the book down. I like that both the stories from the past and present happened only in a day. Makes the "happiness" and the "shallowness" tolerable.
You might be thinking why I keep saying it's too happy when Ella actually went through her dumped girl phase a lot. Well, I thought El and Matt's story was really cute and predictable. I'm probably projecting my issues on them but seriously at one point I almost wished for them not to get back together so I could go "Ahh that right there is high school."
I didn't like Matt's reasoning for his sudden disappearance. The story, while it's constantly aspiring to portray difficulties and complexities, is still lacking depth and substance. I would love it if the author toyed more with the drug pusher angle of the story. I actually liked Meg and Jake's story better because while it's stupid and petty and annoying and jfc it's tiring, it's REAL LIFE. I've seen a friend pine for a guy too long amidst the cheating and the broken promises to know that stuff like that actually happen. I guess happy teens wouldn't want that, would they?
Does this unicorn-and-rainbows type of high school stories actually happen irl? My high school was unforgettable and challenging and happy but nowhere as exciting as the stories that this novel presented.
I still like the writing though. Simple but so many lines struck a chord. I found Ella's insecurities the most relatable. I hope they survive LDR and college. No, not really.
I also like the transition between the chapters, the Nows and Thens, the currents and the throwbacks. It made me curious and it made it hard for me to put the book down. I like that both the stories from the past and present happened only in a day. Makes the "happiness" and the "shallowness" tolerable.
You might be thinking why I keep saying it's too happy when Ella actually went through her dumped girl phase a lot. Well, I thought El and Matt's story was really cute and predictable. I'm probably projecting my issues on them but seriously at one point I almost wished for them not to get back together so I could go "Ahh that right there is high school."
I didn't like Matt's reasoning for his sudden disappearance. The story, while it's constantly aspiring to portray difficulties and complexities, is still lacking depth and substance. I would love it if the author toyed more with the drug pusher angle of the story. I actually liked Meg and Jake's story better because while it's stupid and petty and annoying and jfc it's tiring, it's REAL LIFE. I've seen a friend pine for a guy too long amidst the cheating and the broken promises to know that stuff like that actually happen. I guess happy teens wouldn't want that, would they?
Does this unicorn-and-rainbows type of high school stories actually happen irl? My high school was unforgettable and challenging and happy but nowhere as exciting as the stories that this novel presented.
I still like the writing though. Simple but so many lines struck a chord. I found Ella's insecurities the most relatable. I hope they survive LDR and college. No, not really.
beaniedorman's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a fast paced romance that I was able to finish in about two days. Though it is a quick read, I really enjoyed the story of romance that it told. Ms. Gibaldi sure knows how to set things in motion quickly! The characters in this book are very defined, each with their own personalities and quirks, not at all like the stock characters that usually bore me in contemporary romances. The story is both believable and easy to relate to. The only reason that I gave four stars instead of five is that I found the romance a little cheesy or a little too fast paced. Overall, I did enjoy this book, and would read more from this author in the future.
Spoiler
like Matt and Ella's inside joke hahamaryelizab3th's review against another edition
2.0
a little too cheesy / predictable, but cute. I felt like a lot of parts (like dialogue/conversations) dragged on for way too long & I wish I knew more about Matt & Ella's actual relationship during that year.