bookish_brooklyn's review against another edition
5.0
If you’re looking for a wonderful Young Adult Contemporary novel with a brilliantly distinctive fresh voice then you do not want to miss Taking Down Evelyn Tait! I absolutely adored this book right from the start and constantly felt engaged with Lottie as a narrator and definitely just found myself procrastinating finishing reading Taking Down Evelyn Tait because I just wanted to stay wrapped up in Lottie’s life! I just adore her character so much, Poppy Nwosu just breathes such life into her creations and I felt like everyone had such a refreshing voice and personality throughout this book! Her character development was completely fabulous, too!
Taking Down Evelyn Tait has definitely been one of my absolute favourite Contemporary novels that I’ve read this year! I just found there was so much to love about this wonderful book, at the helm being the wonderfully unique Lottie herself! I haven’t read a character similar to her before and I just love how unique she is! She’s a total trouble maker, she likes causing a raucous at school and often finds herself frequenting the Principal’s office, where she chats to the head of the School, him about her concerns for her as to why she acts out and gets herself into so much trouble and Lottie’s seemingly indifferent attitude as to why she acts out as she does – to her, she just seems to do what she likes because she feels like it, but honestly that should not sway your opinion on her as a character! Whilst she might cause trouble at school and be destructive, I can completely understand her hurt and confusion that she feels at the start of the book, when her very best friend says that she’s utterly in love with Lottie’s own mortal enemy, the titular Evelyn Tait!
I love how as I was reading Taking Down Evelyn Tait, I initially didn’t actually know as to whether or not Evelyn actually really loved Grace or was just seeking her affections to get to Lottie? From the very beginning right through to the final page, I was definitely siding with Lottie throughout this book and definitely found myself discovering everything about these other wonderful characters just as Lottie did! The family dynamic was an utter joy to read about and with that it bought a whole added twist to the story! One that I didn’t see coming and completely enjoyed how it played out as the story went along!
Also, I have to mention how much I love a local setting! Whilst it wasn’t completely mentioned where this book was set, Poppy mentioned that it’s actually set in the same world as her fantastic debut Making Friends With Alice Dyson, which of course was set in Adelaide, South Australia! I’ve rarely read books set in my hometown so I always get super excited when I do! Even though I’m not hugely familiar with the area itself where Taking Down Evelyn Tait was set, it was just fabulous reading about it!
There’s so many fun and completely memorable scenes throughout this book, from the Principal visits that Lottie frequents, to her stealthily climbing onto her oldest friend Jude’s balcony (seriously I adored Jude!) to Lottie discovering her eternal crush on heartthrob Sebastian may not be what she imagined, to Lottie and Grace’s utterlly divine best friend banter and excitement about Grace sharing a new word of the day for Lottie to ponder over the meaning, just everything about this brilliantly vivid YA novel should be celebrated! I definitely think everyone should be adding this fabulous book to their TBRs, it’s just such a perfect read for these trying times where things feel slightly scary and uncertain!
I loved the character development throughout this book, from Lottie initially wanting to beat Evelyn at her own game and be the perfect daughter and model student, remedying her troublesome ways whilst annoying her least favourite person, with the wonderful Jude helping her in her education to be more good – however, as I continued on Lottie’s journey, she, and I, learnt there was definitely more complexities than met the eye to not only satisfyingly getting revenge, but in terms of Evelyn’s character herself and Jude too! Not to give too much away but I just adored his character! I always enjoy close friendships from early years and seeing feelings bloom and come to light is always so exciting! Whilst Lottie was always so enamoured with crush Sebastian and her heart skips a beat as they get to know each other more, I loved how Lottie couldn’t quite ignore how she was really starting to feel about Sebastian! I mean, he’s a friendly character and I enjoyed his page time with her but honestly it was all Jude for me! I especially loved it when he was teaching Lottie how to be more mindful and careful of people and her behaviour and he’d impart wise quotes from movies such as The Lion King – it was just too precious! I love that he’s so careful and studious, definitely the opposite to Lottie, it was just so adorable, especially how he’d listen so intently to her talk about her favourite music that inspires her! Whilst Evelyn excels at the flute, Lottie’s passion for guitar is just something else and I love how that was embedded throughout the book! Which is definitely why I think this book is definitely a must for music lovers too, I think we can all relate to how Lottie gets herself lost in her favourite music!
Friendships, wonderful character development and cute romances aside, I think what my favourite aspect about Taking Down Evelyn Tait is the family dynamic! Initially, Lottie really isn’t a fan of her step mother and stepsister, but as the story progresses and characters open up, banter and arguments turn into beautifully poignant and tender scenes, with characters who would argue constantly actually leaning on one another and actually developing touching bonds! I definitely will be thinking about Lottie and her family (and of course Jude and ) for time to come, smiling all the while!
Taking Down Evelyn Tait has definitely been one of my absolute favourite Contemporary novels that I’ve read this year! I just found there was so much to love about this wonderful book, at the helm being the wonderfully unique Lottie herself! I haven’t read a character similar to her before and I just love how unique she is! She’s a total trouble maker, she likes causing a raucous at school and often finds herself frequenting the Principal’s office, where she chats to the head of the School, him about her concerns for her as to why she acts out and gets herself into so much trouble and Lottie’s seemingly indifferent attitude as to why she acts out as she does – to her, she just seems to do what she likes because she feels like it, but honestly that should not sway your opinion on her as a character! Whilst she might cause trouble at school and be destructive, I can completely understand her hurt and confusion that she feels at the start of the book, when her very best friend says that she’s utterly in love with Lottie’s own mortal enemy, the titular Evelyn Tait!
I love how as I was reading Taking Down Evelyn Tait, I initially didn’t actually know as to whether or not Evelyn actually really loved Grace or was just seeking her affections to get to Lottie? From the very beginning right through to the final page, I was definitely siding with Lottie throughout this book and definitely found myself discovering everything about these other wonderful characters just as Lottie did! The family dynamic was an utter joy to read about and with that it bought a whole added twist to the story! One that I didn’t see coming and completely enjoyed how it played out as the story went along!
Also, I have to mention how much I love a local setting! Whilst it wasn’t completely mentioned where this book was set, Poppy mentioned that it’s actually set in the same world as her fantastic debut Making Friends With Alice Dyson, which of course was set in Adelaide, South Australia! I’ve rarely read books set in my hometown so I always get super excited when I do! Even though I’m not hugely familiar with the area itself where Taking Down Evelyn Tait was set, it was just fabulous reading about it!
There’s so many fun and completely memorable scenes throughout this book, from the Principal visits that Lottie frequents, to her stealthily climbing onto her oldest friend Jude’s balcony (seriously I adored Jude!) to Lottie discovering her eternal crush on heartthrob Sebastian may not be what she imagined, to Lottie and Grace’s utterlly divine best friend banter and excitement about Grace sharing a new word of the day for Lottie to ponder over the meaning, just everything about this brilliantly vivid YA novel should be celebrated! I definitely think everyone should be adding this fabulous book to their TBRs, it’s just such a perfect read for these trying times where things feel slightly scary and uncertain!
I loved the character development throughout this book, from Lottie initially wanting to beat Evelyn at her own game and be the perfect daughter and model student, remedying her troublesome ways whilst annoying her least favourite person, with the wonderful Jude helping her in her education to be more good – however, as I continued on Lottie’s journey, she, and I, learnt there was definitely more complexities than met the eye to not only satisfyingly getting revenge, but in terms of Evelyn’s character herself and Jude too! Not to give too much away but I just adored his character! I always enjoy close friendships from early years and seeing feelings bloom and come to light is always so exciting! Whilst Lottie was always so enamoured with crush Sebastian and her heart skips a beat as they get to know each other more, I loved how Lottie couldn’t quite ignore how she was really starting to feel about Sebastian! I mean, he’s a friendly character and I enjoyed his page time with her but honestly it was all Jude for me! I especially loved it when he was teaching Lottie how to be more mindful and careful of people and her behaviour and he’d impart wise quotes from movies such as The Lion King – it was just too precious! I love that he’s so careful and studious, definitely the opposite to Lottie, it was just so adorable, especially how he’d listen so intently to her talk about her favourite music that inspires her! Whilst Evelyn excels at the flute, Lottie’s passion for guitar is just something else and I love how that was embedded throughout the book! Which is definitely why I think this book is definitely a must for music lovers too, I think we can all relate to how Lottie gets herself lost in her favourite music!
Friendships, wonderful character development and cute romances aside, I think what my favourite aspect about Taking Down Evelyn Tait is the family dynamic! Initially, Lottie really isn’t a fan of her step mother and stepsister, but as the story progresses and characters open up, banter and arguments turn into beautifully poignant and tender scenes, with characters who would argue constantly actually leaning on one another and actually developing touching bonds! I definitely will be thinking about Lottie and her family (and of course Jude and ) for time to come, smiling all the while!
deadlypapercut's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fuzzyfairy's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, I can't believe I forgot how much I like teen angst in YA until I read this book.
It's cute, it deals with real shit, the friendships are great. And it felt so real.
Full review will be up on my YouTube channel on the 30th of March!
It's cute, it deals with real shit, the friendships are great. And it felt so real.
Full review will be up on my YouTube channel on the 30th of March!
melbsreads's review against another edition
5.0
Trigger warnings: shitty parenting, absent parents, death of a parent (in the past), implications of domestic violence.
I loved this. Like, a lot. It feels very much like a 21st century version of Hating Alison Ashley, right down to the humour. But because it's a YA book and it's the 21st century, there's plenty of diversity and romance.
Lottie is such a delightfully hilarious character. She's a metal fan who grows tomatoes on her balcony and hangs out in the principal's office for funsies. Her antagonistic relationship with Evelyn was initially baffling and then totally understandable. There's so much humour in the writing, and I adored the secondary characters (especially Jude).
I flew through this in a couple of hours and loved every single second of it. It was utterly wonderful.
I loved this. Like, a lot. It feels very much like a 21st century version of Hating Alison Ashley, right down to the humour. But because it's a YA book and it's the 21st century, there's plenty of diversity and romance.
Lottie is such a delightfully hilarious character. She's a metal fan who grows tomatoes on her balcony and hangs out in the principal's office for funsies. Her antagonistic relationship with Evelyn was initially baffling and then totally understandable. There's so much humour in the writing, and I adored the secondary characters (especially Jude).
I flew through this in a couple of hours and loved every single second of it. It was utterly wonderful.
mmmmmm's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
swu1234588's review against another edition
5.0
I actually can’t fault this book!! I read it in 1 sitting! Great storyline and relatable, loveable characters!
shannonsnextchapter's review against another edition
4.0
Read my full review on the Shannon A. Jade Books blog!
My Taking Down Evelyn Tait Top 3:
- Lottie is vibrant and full of life
- Great character arcs
- Fun rebellion!
My Taking Down Evelyn Tait Top 3:
- Lottie is vibrant and full of life
- Great character arcs
- Fun rebellion!
littlemissstar55's review against another edition
5.0
I received a copy of this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has not impacted my views.
I am also a part of the AusYABloggers tour, so my full thoughts and review will go up on the 1st of April.
5/5 stars
I am also a part of the AusYABloggers tour, so my full thoughts and review will go up on the 1st of April.
5/5 stars
astarlia's review
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Love the premise and the characters
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Grief
Spoiler
death in past, minor current griefsamwlabb's review
5.0
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Lottie is tired of Evelyn Tait ruining her life and is determined to beat her at her own game. The takedown will require patience, planning, and a makeover of sorts. But when Lottie assumes her new good girl persona, she arrives at some epiphanies about Evelyn, her family, and herself.
I know this is only the second book by Nwosu, but I am in love with her writing, characters, and storytelling. Though this story dealt with friendship, family, and even romance, at its core, it was a story about growing and changing and being true to yourself.
Lottie hadn't even finished secondary school, and her life had already been turned upside down twice. Once, when her mother left the family, and again, when her father remarried. I felt like Lottie never properly dealt with the emotional fallout, and it all just came out in the wrong ways. I mean, she got herself into trouble so often, that she was on a first name basis with the principal. [NOTE: I loved these scenes. They never failed to delight me] That was why I appreciated that her nefarious plot turned out to be such a wonderful path to self discovery. As she was pretending to be a "good girl", she actually began to enjoy the perks. It was fun to see her fully embrace this side of herself, but more importantly it gave her insight into herself and others.
Lottie and Evelyn had been set on destroying each other for quite a while now, but Lottie never fully understood Evelyn's situation. She began to see that being Evelyn Tait was not as easy as it looked, while also learning the root cause of Evelyn's animosity towards her. It was such an "A-HA" moment for Lottie, and one of the points in the story, where I really began to see her worldview shift from being so egocentric.
Nwosu blessed Lottie with not one, but TWO, amazing friends, both of whom I adored. At one point in the story, both of these relationships were a bit strained. There was bound to be tension, when Lottie's best girl friend, Grace, became romantically involved with her nemesis, but she also pushed her best guy friend, Jude, to his limits. Again, another "A-HA" moment for Lottie, where she came to some realizations about her friends' needs and feelings.
But let's talk about Jude, dear sweet Jude. He was the boy next door with the heart of gold. When Lottie looked back, she realized how Jude was the one person in her life, who was always there for her. I grew so frustrated with Lottie, because I thought she sometimes took advantage of him or took him for granted. Recognizing the way she treated him, as well as his importance in her life was another part of Lottie's evolution.
Over the course of this book, Lottie grew tremendously. She learned to see the world outside herself, began to appreciate the important people in her life, and started to make better choices. I was really proud of her, and I would be hard-pressed to find anyone who could resist falling in love with her.
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Lottie is tired of Evelyn Tait ruining her life and is determined to beat her at her own game. The takedown will require patience, planning, and a makeover of sorts. But when Lottie assumes her new good girl persona, she arrives at some epiphanies about Evelyn, her family, and herself.
I know this is only the second book by Nwosu, but I am in love with her writing, characters, and storytelling. Though this story dealt with friendship, family, and even romance, at its core, it was a story about growing and changing and being true to yourself.
Lottie hadn't even finished secondary school, and her life had already been turned upside down twice. Once, when her mother left the family, and again, when her father remarried. I felt like Lottie never properly dealt with the emotional fallout, and it all just came out in the wrong ways. I mean, she got herself into trouble so often, that she was on a first name basis with the principal. [NOTE: I loved these scenes. They never failed to delight me] That was why I appreciated that her nefarious plot turned out to be such a wonderful path to self discovery. As she was pretending to be a "good girl", she actually began to enjoy the perks. It was fun to see her fully embrace this side of herself, but more importantly it gave her insight into herself and others.
Lottie and Evelyn had been set on destroying each other for quite a while now, but Lottie never fully understood Evelyn's situation. She began to see that being Evelyn Tait was not as easy as it looked, while also learning the root cause of Evelyn's animosity towards her. It was such an "A-HA" moment for Lottie, and one of the points in the story, where I really began to see her worldview shift from being so egocentric.
Nwosu blessed Lottie with not one, but TWO, amazing friends, both of whom I adored. At one point in the story, both of these relationships were a bit strained. There was bound to be tension, when Lottie's best girl friend, Grace, became romantically involved with her nemesis, but she also pushed her best guy friend, Jude, to his limits. Again, another "A-HA" moment for Lottie, where she came to some realizations about her friends' needs and feelings.
But let's talk about Jude, dear sweet Jude. He was the boy next door with the heart of gold. When Lottie looked back, she realized how Jude was the one person in her life, who was always there for her. I grew so frustrated with Lottie, because I thought she sometimes took advantage of him or took him for granted. Recognizing the way she treated him, as well as his importance in her life was another part of Lottie's evolution.
Over the course of this book, Lottie grew tremendously. She learned to see the world outside herself, began to appreciate the important people in her life, and started to make better choices. I was really proud of her, and I would be hard-pressed to find anyone who could resist falling in love with her.
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