booksandlemonsquash's review
3.0
I enjoyed the concept of the story in You Only Live Once - trying to make the most of life and being spontaneous. However, Grace is not my favourite character! I like her some of the time - like the part with her Nan. But her obsession with social media approval and ditching her friends just to hang out with people she has deemed to be cool for whatever reason means she gets mixed up with some people who aren’t great and doing some incredibly uncool things. And she just explains it all away. She is selfish and melodramatic (as you can tell from the whole dying thing!!) and for someone who has only just decided to live in the moment, she seems not to care about the consequences of what she does.
I do like the moral of learning to trust your instincts on right v wrong, and not doing things just because your friends are, but that’s about it, to be honest.
Til and Sophie and her Nan are great secondary characters, and I think I’d have liked more of them in the book - though I do know it would have defeated the point of the book a little.
I do like the moral of learning to trust your instincts on right v wrong, and not doing things just because your friends are, but that’s about it, to be honest.
Til and Sophie and her Nan are great secondary characters, and I think I’d have liked more of them in the book - though I do know it would have defeated the point of the book a little.
notlikethebeer's review
4.0
Gracie is quite immature and annoying, however, aside from that this was a really good read. Lots of good character growth and I liked that the ending didn't necessarily tie up everything! More importantly, really really loved the way that sexuality was present but was never the main theme!!- I dare you not to fall in love with Sarah. So excited for the next Gracie Dart novel now!
watson's review
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Could not stand grace
jordannedunn's review
4.0
I received a copy of this book from Hot Key Books via Readers First in exchange for an honest review.
🌟 🌟 🌟.5
This is a book I want to give to 16-year-olds who have made themselves ill over stress and school work like it’s the end of their life and not just a stepping stone to the next stages. Gracie Dart is a relatable and funny character and her journey of self-discovery and growing up is one I think young women need.
Vallance perfectly captured the mindset of a post-GCSE student and the sense of earnest, determined independence, yet greatly undecided and vulnerable nature of a young adult realising the insignificance of these exams in hindsight. The feelings described in this book about how school life depicts your future in comparison to the reality is so accurate it’s staggering. That, and Grace’s witty narration is so candid and sincere, even in melodrama, I was laughing from the start
.
Grace goes through a tremendous amount of personal development and self-discovery, not least of all acknowledging her own sexuality to herself and her family and friends and coming to terms with what it all means.
Find my full review on my blog, Bloodthirsty Little Beasts.
🌟 🌟 🌟.5
This is a book I want to give to 16-year-olds who have made themselves ill over stress and school work like it’s the end of their life and not just a stepping stone to the next stages. Gracie Dart is a relatable and funny character and her journey of self-discovery and growing up is one I think young women need.
Vallance perfectly captured the mindset of a post-GCSE student and the sense of earnest, determined independence, yet greatly undecided and vulnerable nature of a young adult realising the insignificance of these exams in hindsight. The feelings described in this book about how school life depicts your future in comparison to the reality is so accurate it’s staggering. That, and Grace’s witty narration is so candid and sincere, even in melodrama, I was laughing from the start
.
Grace goes through a tremendous amount of personal development and self-discovery, not least of all acknowledging her own sexuality to herself and her family and friends and coming to terms with what it all means.
Find my full review on my blog, Bloodthirsty Little Beasts.
alexhale3's review
4.0
I had never heard of this book before I saw that they were giving away ARC’s at YALC, but when I did hear about it, I knew it was one I wanted to read. I always love a good, funny contemporary, so I was really happy to get a copy at YALC.
The main character, Gracie, was so over dramatic about everything, but I didn’t find it annoying. It was actually done in a really funny way. I also found some of the situations she got into really funny. I also felt like she learnt some important stuff by the end, and I really liked the message of this book.
There was LGBT representation in this book, which was awesome. I can’t say how accurate it was, but I did appreciate the fact that it wasn’t one of those books where the entire plot is how the character is going to come out and how everyone will take it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to book two, which comes out in February so I don’t have too long to wait.
This has been compared to Geek Girl (which I haven’t read), so if you liked that, pick up You Only Live Once.
The main character, Gracie, was so over dramatic about everything, but I didn’t find it annoying. It was actually done in a really funny way. I also found some of the situations she got into really funny. I also felt like she learnt some important stuff by the end, and I really liked the message of this book.
There was LGBT representation in this book, which was awesome. I can’t say how accurate it was, but I did appreciate the fact that it wasn’t one of those books where the entire plot is how the character is going to come out and how everyone will take it.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to book two, which comes out in February so I don’t have too long to wait.
This has been compared to Geek Girl (which I haven’t read), so if you liked that, pick up You Only Live Once.
booksandbargains's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
This book made me properly belly laugh at times!
louris_paige's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
nightresplendent's review
4.0
You Only Live Once is such a fantastic "coming of age" story that had me laughing out loud one minute and choked with tears the next.
While what happens in the second half of the book is definitely on the more unusual side of things, it is a pretty good representation of how it feels to be a teen waiting on exam results and not knowing where your life may lead.
I'll definitely be picking up a copy of the next book when it's out.
Thank you to Hot Key Books for providing me with a free copy to review.
While what happens in the second half of the book is definitely on the more unusual side of things, it is a pretty good representation of how it feels to be a teen waiting on exam results and not knowing where your life may lead.
I'll definitely be picking up a copy of the next book when it's out.
Thank you to Hot Key Books for providing me with a free copy to review.
reneeeverest's review
3.0
really cheesy but sentimental to me, really easy to read and made me feel smiley. came at the exact right time in my life - funny how that happens.