senexosaweffers's review against another edition
3.0
It’s a cute read, although it had a distracting number of typos despite the fact that the author is also an editor. The protagonist is quite flawed, which I consider a plus because I really enjoyed watching her grow throughout the book.
I didn’t enjoy the overabundant mentions of Harry Potter, and I felt that this book is timely enough that many of those references could have been removed in light of JKR’s heinous attitude toward the LGBTQ+ community—especially since Recommended for You features several characters who are part of that community. I wonder if the publishers even discussed that.
I will note that, even if JKR weren’t the way she is, and even if I did make an effort to separate author from work, I would still think there are too many references to Harry Potter in this book. One mention is plenty.
I didn’t enjoy the overabundant mentions of Harry Potter, and I felt that this book is timely enough that many of those references could have been removed in light of JKR’s heinous attitude toward the LGBTQ+ community—especially since Recommended for You features several characters who are part of that community. I wonder if the publishers even discussed that.
I will note that, even if JKR weren’t the way she is, and even if I did make an effort to separate author from work, I would still think there are too many references to Harry Potter in this book. One mention is plenty.
abzhozay's review against another edition
fast-paced
3.0
I did not know this was technically a "holiday" read before I picked this up so I was pleasantly surprised. Love a good romcom with a bookish theme. It kinda reminded me of "You've Got Mail" with the saving the bookstore plot line. I haven't read a Young Adult novel in a while. For a YA, I actually liked the dynamic between the two main leads. Not exactly an enemies to lovers but more like a "misunderstanding" to lovers. I liked the sales bookstore contest. I also like seeing the Jewish rep. Overall, a cute read for the holidays!
amppet22's review against another edition
5.0
Very cute, wholesome story! A definite for the book lover. Who doesn’t love a cute romance with a great amount of diverse characters and a lovely bookstore?
honeybee_reads's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
bak8382's review against another edition
4.0
I can't resist books set in bookstores, and this is another good addition to that category.
gwensadventure's review against another edition
3.0
This book was alright. I REALLLLLLLL enjoyed the setting--it was really fun to read about a blossoming bookstore romance. I also liked how the main characters were Jewish--it was interesting to see their lives working retail the week before Christmas. The holiday setting was a lot of fun. While reading this book, I really felt like there was just a lot going on without a lot of explanation. There are lots of diverse characters in this story, but it's just kind of thrown in there and then we never hear anything else about it or see how it impacts their lives. The main character was also just really not that likeable which made it hard for me to get in to this book.
iheartya311's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Typical YA rom-com. Cute story, quirky MC, and decent writing style, but overall not memorable.