shogins's review against another edition
4.0
Colby has been in love with his best friend Bev for as long as he can remember. This summer, the summer after high school, Colby was supposed to go on a road trip with Bev’s terrible band, The Disenchantments, and then the two of them were supposed to go to Europe. Instead, Bev is going to college in the fall and Colby is left to figure out what’s next. This beautifully written novel is full of interesting characters. You’ll want to join Colby, Bev, Meg, and Alexa on tour.
This inspired me to write a ReadFeed about road trip novels!
This inspired me to write a ReadFeed about road trip novels!
jkropik06's review against another edition
4.0
4.25/5 Stars.
Wow. I was going to DNF this about 80 pages in, but I am SOOOO glad I didn’t. This was amazing. I listened on audio, which was a good choice.
My absolute favorite part of this book were the characters. I loved all four of our main characters, although Bev did annoy me for the first portion, but by the end I loved her. Even the side characters met along the way were great. Road trip set books will always have a place in my heart, so the setting was also a good part of this novel.
I’m not sure what else to say, this was a journey of self discovery for the characters, and I loved it. I would love a follow up novel following Meg/Alexa or even Colby.
Wow. I was going to DNF this about 80 pages in, but I am SOOOO glad I didn’t. This was amazing. I listened on audio, which was a good choice.
My absolute favorite part of this book were the characters. I loved all four of our main characters, although Bev did annoy me for the first portion, but by the end I loved her. Even the side characters met along the way were great. Road trip set books will always have a place in my heart, so the setting was also a good part of this novel.
I’m not sure what else to say, this was a journey of self discovery for the characters, and I loved it. I would love a follow up novel following Meg/Alexa or even Colby.
emilymahar's review against another edition
5.0
What a great way to start out the summer! Even though I didn't read this after summer had started, it got me wanting to have summer be here sooner.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and read it so fast. I loved how it was a story about finding yourself and all about friendship. It had a good message about following your heart. It was funny at some parts, sad at others, and that's what made it such a great read. The characters were so amazing. How could you not love Meg and Alexa? Bev was a wonderful main character, and she was nice to read about. Colby, the narrator was also great to read from his POV. This is one of the books that I've read where the narrator was actually a male and I liked that! It was something new and different for me.
Overall, you should go run to the store and buy this book right now! It totally deserved that 5 star rating, and it took me all of two seconds to rate it that! Awesome book, perfect for summertime!
I really enjoyed reading this book, and read it so fast. I loved how it was a story about finding yourself and all about friendship. It had a good message about following your heart. It was funny at some parts, sad at others, and that's what made it such a great read. The characters were so amazing. How could you not love Meg and Alexa? Bev was a wonderful main character, and she was nice to read about. Colby, the narrator was also great to read from his POV. This is one of the books that I've read where the narrator was actually a male and I liked that! It was something new and different for me.
Overall, you should go run to the store and buy this book right now! It totally deserved that 5 star rating, and it took me all of two seconds to rate it that! Awesome book, perfect for summertime!
beareadsbooks_sometimes's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
raebies_03's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I love Nina's work so I finally got my hands on her older stuff and got into it. This story was very relatable, we've all been in similar situations at young and fresh 18 year olds not knowing where to go after high school. Feeling betrayed by friends who are really just going through their own journey and trying to figure it out themselves.
The ending was very hopeful and still resonates with me as an almost 30 girly.
The ending was very hopeful and still resonates with me as an almost 30 girly.
abookdork's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book so much I started listening to some of the bands that were mentioned. My goal is to listen to them all!
aly_bu's review against another edition
5.0
Some books meet you where you're at, and this was one of them. In the book, Colby quotes Plato at one point, saying art is "true to life and yet more beautiful". I can't think of more appropriate words for this book. Any person who has been hurt by the simple and yet infinitely complicated process of growing up will find a home here, any person with a single creative bone in their body will resonate and identify and hurt with Colby and Bev and Meg and Alexa. If you scoff at art or those who struggle with living inside themselves, this book isn't for you. Colby is at once both an immature, hurtful teenage boy and a poignant representation of love and heartache and existentialism and it's impossible to not hurt with his hurts and smile with his joys. He is the perfect, accepting, artistic eyes you need to see this story through. I loved it, nearly every second. Only critique I could add would be the Seattle trip: it's so necessary, yet took longer than needed and I feel like removed us from the groups story (which I loved) in an overly long venture that Colby needed to find 'purpose'. I loved that he met Rene and I loved that he met Abbie and decided to tag the Disenchantments logo, but it felt a bit long-winded and I was glad when he and Bev reunited to become ok. That's literally the only critique I could come up with. When I seek to create, none of what I make is what these kids made, but I still identified so strongly with their art it blew my mind. A masterful piece of YA.
sounfish's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cluckenbook's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
drbird's review against another edition
5.0
I finished this book in February. It's April and I still think about it. I think that says enough, right?
Well, here's a few more things to consider: there's a scene early in the book -- the band's first show in some dude's basement -- that had me smiling the whole way. Upon reading that scene, I knew that this was not going to be a slog through romantic angst or trauma or manufactured danger. This was going to be a quest for understanding and purpose (because the world is always demanding we "have a purpose"). It's a relationship story, yes, but not simply about Colby and Bev falling away from each other and then learning something. This is about all the most important kinds of relationships one can have -- with friends, family, strangers that become new friends, and strangers we see once and never again.
It's got some impressively real moments but what stands out most are the VISUALS LaCour conjures via language.
THE DISENCHANTMENTS is an excellent way to spend a weekend.
Well, here's a few more things to consider: there's a scene early in the book -- the band's first show in some dude's basement -- that had me smiling the whole way. Upon reading that scene, I knew that this was not going to be a slog through romantic angst or trauma or manufactured danger. This was going to be a quest for understanding and purpose (because the world is always demanding we "have a purpose"). It's a relationship story, yes, but not simply about Colby and Bev falling away from each other and then learning something. This is about all the most important kinds of relationships one can have -- with friends, family, strangers that become new friends, and strangers we see once and never again.
It's got some impressively real moments but what stands out most are the VISUALS LaCour conjures via language.
THE DISENCHANTMENTS is an excellent way to spend a weekend.