beckyyreadss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Bullying and Cursing
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Body shaming
teacupalpaca's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Minor: Bullying and Homophobia
cozycritiques's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
- Kate in Waiting
CW: Underage Drinking, Bullying, Body Shaming, Homophobia, Transphobia
Tropes:
📖 High School
📖 Love Triangle
📖 Childhood Friends to Lovers
📖 Theater
📖 Tight-knit Friend Groups
Representation:
📖 Jewish Main Character
📖 Queer Main and Side Characters
📖 POC Main Character
What I liked:
📖 Theater references
📖 Amount of cursing (I have never read a YA novel that used so many F-bombs and I kind of love it, because as a theater teen, we absolutely cursed that often)
📖 Kate and Andy’s friendship
📖 Noah and Kate’s banter
📖 Teenage messiness
What I didn’t like:
📖 Constant F-boy and F-girl references
Final thoughts: Although I didn’t like the overly casual and slightly dramatic narrative style at first, I really ended up enjoying Kate in Waiting. Reading it honestly felt like I’d been transported back to my high school in both good and bad ways. While I don’t always look back at that time in my life with fondness, this book definitely reminded me of the joy I felt being a high school theater kid.
Spice Scale: 🫑
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Homophobia and Body shaming
Minor: Transphobia
underage drinkingmayareadsxo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Minor: Alcohol, Bullying, Deadnaming, Homophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
readwithanne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Alcohol and Homophobia
cheye13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
For the majority, this is probably a run-of-the-mill, if above average, YA/coming of age novel. But for me specifically, there were events and emotions and situations – both in the synopsis and otherwisee – that rang far too true and formative. Stellar book.
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Alcohol and Homophobia
A character is estranged from their father bc of the father's view of homosexuality.rinku's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Spoiler
when Matt told her that he was gay, and Andy told her that they’re dating. My heart dropped both times because I could feel Kate’s disappointment so intensely. I was to be honest first mad with Andy as well, but I later started to understand his behaviour and that he didn’t want to out Matt without his consent. The only thing here that I didn’t find too realistic is how fast Kate was over MattModerate: Alcohol, Bullying, and Mental illness
Minor: Homophobia
darryn_gray's review against another edition
- 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
The chapters are very short and its a very easy read, easily a book you can read in the span of one day, even if you're a slow reader
Graphic: Bullying, Alcohol, Cursing, and Drug use
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Transphobia and Homophobia
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Homophobia and Alcohol
lennie_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Random House for my ARC!
I adored this book.
I love Kate so so much.
The main POV character in this book is not queer, or at least she doesn't mention anything about being queer in the book. Her best friend Anderson is gay and one of her other best friends is trans, her 4th best friend may be on the asexual spectrum but nothing is confirmed. So I technically wouldn't class this book as queer but that's just me.
This book had that undeniable Albertalli wholesome magic and made me all warm and fuzzy inside.
Kate & her best friend Anderson often have the same crushes but never do anything about them so it's just a bit of fun. That is until their summer camp joint crush transfers to their school and becomes attainable.
I feel like a lot of drama in this book could've been resolved with simple communication but Albertalli always does friendship and teen drama well.
I love how it kept you on your toes whilst
also being so funny and sweet.
I also loved the Rapunzel references, the theatre club, the musical references etc. (No HP references unlike in her previous books)
And I am obsessed with Kate and who she ends up with (no spoilers here but the quote 'its so fluffy I'm gonna die' definitely feels appropriate!)
This is now my second favourite Albertalli books after Simon vs and if you love sweet YA contemporary romance then you need to pick this up.
This book has gay rep, black rep, Jewish rep and trans rep, as well as divorced parents.
CW: homophobia, divorce, bullying
Graphic: Homophobia and Bullying