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sarahkheeter's review against another edition
3.0
Some strange plot points but a sweet story over all. Very, very YA… main character is graduating high school but the simplistic style of the writing makes me think more of middle school or early high school reading level, tbh. I don’t mind YA but didn’t anticipate just how young this was going to come across. I will say the last 3rd or so really picks up and significantly improved my overall impression. I didn’t dislike it at all and the main character is very likable, but I did find it overly simple.
luce_3's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? No
4.5
hayleyslibrarycard's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars out of 5
I didn't hate this book but I didn't overly enjoy it either. I found the writing style slightly amateurish as they used big words and metaphors to try and make the writing more lyrical than it actually was. (Also teenagers don't talk like that at all, there are other ways to make your writing lyrical and quotable than to make your characters sound snobbish..)
Loved the theme of following your own dreams despite what people think especially the law career vs creative career as I think that is something lots of teenagers can relate to, and will find some consolation in, however it is the classic "I want my own dreams, not yours *insert parent here* trope that we see a lot in movies and television so theres nothing really new here.
Everything wraps up in a pretty little bow at the end, she gets the guy, she gets to do what she wants to do, the college of her dreams wants her to come and study with them once she gets life experience, she gets to live in a beautiful space to allow her some creative freedom so she can get better at writing to get into said college and has pretty much no responsibilities because she is working for her grandparents. Not entirely relatable - taking a gap year isnt all rainbows and creativity and being able to do what you want.
The romance isn't entirely relatable or believable but it is something younger me probably would've lusted after and LOVED.
Overall this definitely read like a first novel but I would look forward to reading more of this author (I love to support New Zealand authors where I can)
I didn't hate this book but I didn't overly enjoy it either. I found the writing style slightly amateurish as they used big words and metaphors to try and make the writing more lyrical than it actually was. (Also teenagers don't talk like that at all, there are other ways to make your writing lyrical and quotable than to make your characters sound snobbish..)
Loved the theme of following your own dreams despite what people think especially the law career vs creative career as I think that is something lots of teenagers can relate to, and will find some consolation in, however it is the classic "I want my own dreams, not yours *insert parent here* trope that we see a lot in movies and television so theres nothing really new here.
Everything wraps up in a pretty little bow at the end, she gets the guy, she gets to do what she wants to do, the college of her dreams wants her to come and study with them once she gets life experience, she gets to live in a beautiful space to allow her some creative freedom so she can get better at writing to get into said college and has pretty much no responsibilities because she is working for her grandparents. Not entirely relatable - taking a gap year isnt all rainbows and creativity and being able to do what you want.
The romance isn't entirely relatable or believable but it is something younger me probably would've lusted after and LOVED.
Overall this definitely read like a first novel but I would look forward to reading more of this author (I love to support New Zealand authors where I can)
missnewvillage's review
3.0
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars
I was initially drawn into this book because of the cover. I know the old adage is you can't judge a book by its cover, but this cover is so gorgeous that I had to read it. The story is about an 18 year old named Ivy who is about to finish high school. It's a coming of age story and throughout the story she must decide what she wants for her future. There were a lot of things that I enjoyed about this story. The first is that it is set in New Zealand, so the high school and college application process is different than in the United States. I really enjoy reading about the way people from other countries live. I must say every time Ivy was offered a drink I had to remind myself that she was of a legal age. I really liked the dynamics between Ivy and her best friend Lana, as well as her struggles with her parents. Definitely related to the family meetings to discuss major decisions. And I really liked Julian. I think he played such a big role in Ivy realizing that there were more options for her instead of just law school. The only thing I didn't like was the writing style, at times it was a bit straightforward when I would have preferred more descriptions and imagery. Other than that I really enjoyed the story.
3.5/5 stars
I was initially drawn into this book because of the cover. I know the old adage is you can't judge a book by its cover, but this cover is so gorgeous that I had to read it. The story is about an 18 year old named Ivy who is about to finish high school. It's a coming of age story and throughout the story she must decide what she wants for her future. There were a lot of things that I enjoyed about this story. The first is that it is set in New Zealand, so the high school and college application process is different than in the United States. I really enjoy reading about the way people from other countries live. I must say every time Ivy was offered a drink I had to remind myself that she was of a legal age. I really liked the dynamics between Ivy and her best friend Lana, as well as her struggles with her parents. Definitely related to the family meetings to discuss major decisions. And I really liked Julian. I think he played such a big role in Ivy realizing that there were more options for her instead of just law school. The only thing I didn't like was the writing style, at times it was a bit straightforward when I would have preferred more descriptions and imagery. Other than that I really enjoyed the story.
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