daffodill37's review against another edition
5.0
This book gets 5 stars not because it was perfect but because it made me feel FEELINGS. I enjoyed Juliet's eye opening journey and the variety of humans who well thought out and complex and who were not there simply for diversity's sake. I also very much enjoyed our author's enthusiasm for life. I feel like this is a book that women everywhere could enjoy.
pixiespice16's review against another edition
5.0
Just an absolute stunning YA novel about queer love, both self-love and love of others. Rivera has an amazing wave of weaving in queer and feminist theory that helps the reader learn and question just as Juliet does. I hope this book brings many baby gays out into the open, free to be who they are and question the world and structures around them.
readingwithhippos's review against another edition
4.0
I happened upon this book as I was searching for books by Puerto Rican authors. Puerto Rico has been on my mind and the minds of many others because of the devastation caused by the recent hurricane and the U.S. government’s inadequate response to the humanitarian crisis. I'm really glad I read it, because in a lot of ways it felt like a breath of fresh air to me.
I love Juliet as a character and the way her relationships are messy and genuine and worth fighting for even when they are difficult. She’s constantly learning, and constantly reevaluating based on what she’s learned. One of the things I struggle with is living in the tension, or allowing people or situations to be complex instead of forcing them into boxes that my mind can easily process. Juliet is uncomfortable living in the tension, too, but she doesn’t fight against it, and I think I could learn from that.
Reading this book felt to me like going on a trip through an alternate universe. My favorite part was how it served as a reminder to me that there’s a whole big world out there full of beautifully different people. I live in an urban area, but it’s landlocked deep in the red-state middle of the country. It’s easy to feel isolated here, as if I’m the only one who doesn’t tacitly agree that white people are superior, that anyone who isn’t straight or cisgendered is a freak, that women can’t be trusted to manage their own bodies, that anyone who doesn’t carry a Bible in one hand and a gun in the other isn’t worthy of respect. Reading about Juliet’s life in the Bronx with her imperfect but loving family and her sojourn to Portland, Oregon to study with a white, hippie feminist was a breath of fresh air to me because it was all so different from everything and everyone I see on a daily basis.
I’m glad this book exists. I started to think about all the options I have when I want to read about a person who looks like me. Books by and about straight white girls are EVERYWHERE. But what would it mean to someone who looks like Juliet, to see a girl on a book cover who looks like her, to read a book that relates to her own life? This is why representation is so, so important to me. Everyone has a voice. Everyone deserves to see themselves represented. And those of us who have had the luxury of being represented all along need to scoot the hell over and make some room at the table. Just like Harlowe needed to shut up and listen when the women of color in her life tried to tell her how her white feminism wasn’t making room for their voices.
I came across this quote by Junot Diaz in another book I’m reading, and it struck me:
“You guys know about vampires?” Diaz asked. “You know, vampires have no reflections in a mirror? There's this idea that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. And what I've always thought isn't that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. It's that if you want to make a human being into a monster, deny them, at the cultural level, any reflection of themselves. And growing up, I felt like a monster in some ways. I didn't see myself reflected at all. I was like, “Yo, is something wrong with me? That the whole society seems to think that people like me don't exist?” And part of what inspired me, was this deep desire that before I died, I would make a couple of mirrors. That I would make some mirrors so that kids like me might see themselves reflected back and might not feel so monstrous for it.”
I’m glad Gabby Rivera made this mirror, and I hope she makes many more.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
I love Juliet as a character and the way her relationships are messy and genuine and worth fighting for even when they are difficult. She’s constantly learning, and constantly reevaluating based on what she’s learned. One of the things I struggle with is living in the tension, or allowing people or situations to be complex instead of forcing them into boxes that my mind can easily process. Juliet is uncomfortable living in the tension, too, but she doesn’t fight against it, and I think I could learn from that.
Reading this book felt to me like going on a trip through an alternate universe. My favorite part was how it served as a reminder to me that there’s a whole big world out there full of beautifully different people. I live in an urban area, but it’s landlocked deep in the red-state middle of the country. It’s easy to feel isolated here, as if I’m the only one who doesn’t tacitly agree that white people are superior, that anyone who isn’t straight or cisgendered is a freak, that women can’t be trusted to manage their own bodies, that anyone who doesn’t carry a Bible in one hand and a gun in the other isn’t worthy of respect. Reading about Juliet’s life in the Bronx with her imperfect but loving family and her sojourn to Portland, Oregon to study with a white, hippie feminist was a breath of fresh air to me because it was all so different from everything and everyone I see on a daily basis.
I’m glad this book exists. I started to think about all the options I have when I want to read about a person who looks like me. Books by and about straight white girls are EVERYWHERE. But what would it mean to someone who looks like Juliet, to see a girl on a book cover who looks like her, to read a book that relates to her own life? This is why representation is so, so important to me. Everyone has a voice. Everyone deserves to see themselves represented. And those of us who have had the luxury of being represented all along need to scoot the hell over and make some room at the table. Just like Harlowe needed to shut up and listen when the women of color in her life tried to tell her how her white feminism wasn’t making room for their voices.
I came across this quote by Junot Diaz in another book I’m reading, and it struck me:
“You guys know about vampires?” Diaz asked. “You know, vampires have no reflections in a mirror? There's this idea that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. And what I've always thought isn't that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. It's that if you want to make a human being into a monster, deny them, at the cultural level, any reflection of themselves. And growing up, I felt like a monster in some ways. I didn't see myself reflected at all. I was like, “Yo, is something wrong with me? That the whole society seems to think that people like me don't exist?” And part of what inspired me, was this deep desire that before I died, I would make a couple of mirrors. That I would make some mirrors so that kids like me might see themselves reflected back and might not feel so monstrous for it.”
I’m glad Gabby Rivera made this mirror, and I hope she makes many more.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
readwithtayah23's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
cozyquesadilla's review against another edition
4.0
This was a comfort read for me and something to get me out of a reading slump.
A wonderfully told and beautiful story of a young dyke finding who she is in this world. You really get to know Juliet in this first person perspective. She’s fragile force that you quickly love and want the best for.
A wonderfully told and beautiful story of a young dyke finding who she is in this world. You really get to know Juliet in this first person perspective. She’s fragile force that you quickly love and want the best for.
leasummer's review against another edition
4.0
Please seek out diverse reviews.
I found this really entertaining. The audiobook is narrated by the author and has a certain lyrical quality you probably don't get in the book.
As a WW from Oregon, I thought the portrayal of Harlowe was spot on and PDX was described in the best way. It's a coming of age story, as a person learns to navigate new places and a new identity. Really well done I thought.
I found this really entertaining. The audiobook is narrated by the author and has a certain lyrical quality you probably don't get in the book.
As a WW from Oregon, I thought the portrayal of Harlowe was spot on and PDX was described in the best way. It's a coming of age story, as a person learns to navigate new places and a new identity. Really well done I thought.
kappareads's review against another edition
5.0
*I received an ARC from the publisher via Bookish First. This does not affect my review.*
This is a coming of age story that we desperately need. Juliet was everything, her voice, her confusion, her passion, her entire character is what truly made this story. I rooted for her the entire time, I wanted to be her friend and join her on her journey, to research along side her project.
Harlowe's character flipped from one of those white feminists I could laugh at for wanting to celebrate periods to the type of white feminists that you know about, who are unintentionally racist and handle being called such badly. She was such a well written character and seeing how she and Juliet played off of the other secondary characters was great.
I want to go back and reread just to underline quotes.
There were some points that felt anachronistic for the story being set in 2003. Juliet uses Lycos as a search engine and people's "preferred" pronouns are discussed despite it being my perception that was more of a recent topic in queer communities.
This is a coming of age story that we desperately need. Juliet was everything, her voice, her confusion, her passion, her entire character is what truly made this story. I rooted for her the entire time, I wanted to be her friend and join her on her journey, to research along side her project.
Harlowe's character flipped from one of those white feminists I could laugh at for wanting to celebrate periods to the type of white feminists that you know about, who are unintentionally racist and handle being called such badly. She was such a well written character and seeing how she and Juliet played off of the other secondary characters was great.
I want to go back and reread just to underline quotes.
There were some points that felt anachronistic for the story being set in 2003. Juliet uses Lycos as a search engine and people's "preferred" pronouns are discussed despite it being my perception that was more of a recent topic in queer communities.
sameda's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
3.5
sashahc's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
I read "Juliet Takes a Breath" yesterday. It is a totally delightful story of Puerto Rican queer girl from the Bronx growing into her own personal revolution in 2003. There is supportive yet complicated family, white feminist idols with clay feet, loving queer BIPOC community, and Portland hippies. The main character is competent, thoughtful, funny, and just a little neurotic. Highly rec'd
Content Warnings
Minor: Classism and Racism