rids's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.25
jamieqwv's review against another edition
3.0
I am a huge lover of YA books, but I have to admit this wasn’t one of my favorites. The concept of the book is great. As a girl who just graduated high school, there are many emotions, many things going thru your head and many ways your life is getting ready to change. With the 3 main characters of the book, this displayed that thought. I loved that each girl essentially was bettered by the end of the week thru the comments of strangers which ended up intertwined in the story. The beginning of the story was a bit of a slow start for me that picked up after about 40% thru. Honestly, the book made me reminisce back to my own “senior week”. It was a cute book, but I wanted it to be so much more.
ari_reading_'s review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Trigger Warnings: Death of a friend recounted, Toxicity, Alcohol Abuse, Cancer
This is not something I'd normally read, but I was feeling adventurous, liked the cover, and thought that I should read it. I was actually surprised by this book.
The plot follows three girls, Zoe, Samira and Dahlia as they go away for a week to celebrate finishing school and to relax. These three girls had no connection to one another and their lives intersect in small ways once they get there. Zoe is struggling to be the perfect daughter, Dahlia is still grieving her friend and Samira is having relationship problems.
The writing was average, it was tolerable. The writing certainly changed depending on which character was talking in the chapter, which differentiates the girls from one another, I found the portrayal of the girls, Dahlia in particular to be really good.
I think the way the characters were different was great and I did think that their different personalities were perfect for the story. I could find something in each of their personalities to relate to, like Samira, I had not very good friends, like Zoe, I try and be perfect and like Dahlia, I have had to let go of things in life and move on from sad events and became closer to others I hadn't been close with before.
Zoe was someone I really enjoyed, while at the start, I struggled but that wasn't because of her, it was because of the writing. Her struggling with strict parents was something I could relate and I loved the process of how she stopped comparing herself to her perfect sister. I also loved how she really wanted to do something with her life, study medicine.
Dahlia was the most complex, in my opinion, her character was portrayed so well and I loved watching her cope with the loss of her friend and also how she becomes closer to Kiki. I enjoyed her and Zoe the most, Zoe because of her struggles with being perfect and Dahlia because of how she struggles to move on with her grief.
Samira was probably my least favourite narrator, I don't really know why but I just found myself more invested in Dahlia and Zoe's chapters. I did like how she moved away from the toxicity and found some much better friends. Also, her relationship with her mother was so adorable.
I loved the way that they didn't directly continue to hang out and be friends, the girls just ran into each other occasionally. It represents how on vacation, you make friends and then you don't see them again because you're going home.
”
I loved how between their perspectives, this book was telling multiple voices, they were suffering so many different things and they just wanted to relax after a stressful year.
There was Zoe, the aspiring medical student, obsessed with trying to be perfect, struggling to live up to her strict parent's expectations and also comparing herself constantly to her sister.
There was Dahlia, who was struggling with the loss of her friend, trying to do things her friend wanted to do, she was struggling to find joy as she was trapped in her own head.
There was also Samira, struggling with homesickness and also with her breakup, she is trying to break away from her toxic friends.
And then between them, there was this aspect of struggling with their lives and decision making after school
Honestly, that was what I loved about this book. The narrative on coming of age and their own struggles was so relevant and cleverly done. It started out at the beginning of the book as really slow, but I'm so glad I decided to stick with this book.
This book was heartwarming due to the way the characters mature and improve, especially with how Dahlia starts getting over her friend dying.
Overall, this book improved as time went on and was an enjoyable read that you didn't need to focus on too much, I really enjoyed Zoe and Dahlia's character arcs and development.
I was so surprised that I enjoyed this since as mentioned previously, this is a book out of my comfort zone, and at the start, I was considering not finishing but I am so glad I did.
Trigger Warnings: Death of a friend recounted, Toxicity, Alcohol Abuse, Cancer
This is not something I'd normally read, but I was feeling adventurous, liked the cover, and thought that I should read it. I was actually surprised by this book.
The plot follows three girls, Zoe, Samira and Dahlia as they go away for a week to celebrate finishing school and to relax. These three girls had no connection to one another and their lives intersect in small ways once they get there. Zoe is struggling to be the perfect daughter, Dahlia is still grieving her friend and Samira is having relationship problems.
The writing was average, it was tolerable. The writing certainly changed depending on which character was talking in the chapter, which differentiates the girls from one another, I found the portrayal of the girls, Dahlia in particular to be really good.
I think the way the characters were different was great and I did think that their different personalities were perfect for the story. I could find something in each of their personalities to relate to, like Samira, I had not very good friends, like Zoe, I try and be perfect and like Dahlia, I have had to let go of things in life and move on from sad events and became closer to others I hadn't been close with before.
Zoe was someone I really enjoyed, while at the start, I struggled but that wasn't because of her, it was because of the writing. Her struggling with strict parents was something I could relate and I loved the process of how she stopped comparing herself to her perfect sister. I also loved how she really wanted to do something with her life, study medicine.
Dahlia was the most complex, in my opinion, her character was portrayed so well and I loved watching her cope with the loss of her friend and also how she becomes closer to Kiki. I enjoyed her and Zoe the most, Zoe because of her struggles with being perfect and Dahlia because of how she struggles to move on with her grief.
Samira was probably my least favourite narrator, I don't really know why but I just found myself more invested in Dahlia and Zoe's chapters. I did like how she moved away from the toxicity and found some much better friends. Also, her relationship with her mother was so adorable.
I loved the way that they didn't directly continue to hang out and be friends, the girls just ran into each other occasionally. It represents how on vacation, you make friends and then you don't see them again because you're going home.
”
I loved how between their perspectives, this book was telling multiple voices, they were suffering so many different things and they just wanted to relax after a stressful year.
There was Zoe, the aspiring medical student, obsessed with trying to be perfect, struggling to live up to her strict parent's expectations and also comparing herself constantly to her sister.
There was Dahlia, who was struggling with the loss of her friend, trying to do things her friend wanted to do, she was struggling to find joy as she was trapped in her own head.
There was also Samira, struggling with homesickness and also with her breakup, she is trying to break away from her toxic friends.
And then between them, there was this aspect of struggling with their lives and decision making after school
Honestly, that was what I loved about this book. The narrative on coming of age and their own struggles was so relevant and cleverly done. It started out at the beginning of the book as really slow, but I'm so glad I decided to stick with this book.
This book was heartwarming due to the way the characters mature and improve, especially with how Dahlia starts getting over her friend dying.
Overall, this book improved as time went on and was an enjoyable read that you didn't need to focus on too much, I really enjoyed Zoe and Dahlia's character arcs and development.
I was so surprised that I enjoyed this since as mentioned previously, this is a book out of my comfort zone, and at the start, I was considering not finishing but I am so glad I did.
brookesbookstagram's review against another edition
3.0
TW: bullying, toxic friendships
This book focuses around Zoe, Samira and Dahlia three teenagers on "schoolies week" after completing secondary school. Zoe, Samira and Dahlia all arrived separately with their respective friends, however their lives intertwine throughout the story as they all experience some form of heartache immediately prior, or during their week. To be young and carefree and to have no rules for the next week again, oh how it took me back!
This was a fun and easy read, however it did take me to the middle of the book to wrap my head around all the different names and who connected with which group. Apart from being easily confused in the beginning, I started to understand more of each teenager and their experiences through the week and did enjoy it overall. It was light, emotional, and a rollercoaster of emotions. Just the book I needed after a heavy week of work!
This book focuses around Zoe, Samira and Dahlia three teenagers on "schoolies week" after completing secondary school. Zoe, Samira and Dahlia all arrived separately with their respective friends, however their lives intertwine throughout the story as they all experience some form of heartache immediately prior, or during their week. To be young and carefree and to have no rules for the next week again, oh how it took me back!
This was a fun and easy read, however it did take me to the middle of the book to wrap my head around all the different names and who connected with which group. Apart from being easily confused in the beginning, I started to understand more of each teenager and their experiences through the week and did enjoy it overall. It was light, emotional, and a rollercoaster of emotions. Just the book I needed after a heavy week of work!
kba76's review against another edition
3.0
Three girls - Zoe, Samira and Dahlia - all unconnected. Each is set to party with friends for a week once exams have finished, and they find themselves in the same resort.
Each of the girls is dealing with something that’s impacting on them. They are on the cusp of adult life, determined to enjoy this break from expectations. In what can best be described as a parents’ worst nightmare, the girls enjoy a raucous and rather hedonistic few days.
On the very first day each of them had something happen that affected the way they felt about the trip. Amongst the chaos of their holiday of a lifetime all the girls learn a little about themselves and who they want to be.
There was a rather chaotic feel to this. It delivered some important messages but it felt quite disconnected.
Each of the girls is dealing with something that’s impacting on them. They are on the cusp of adult life, determined to enjoy this break from expectations. In what can best be described as a parents’ worst nightmare, the girls enjoy a raucous and rather hedonistic few days.
On the very first day each of them had something happen that affected the way they felt about the trip. Amongst the chaos of their holiday of a lifetime all the girls learn a little about themselves and who they want to be.
There was a rather chaotic feel to this. It delivered some important messages but it felt quite disconnected.
theunfinishedbookshelf's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Death
Moderate: Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol
kt022's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
katefield34's review against another edition
3.0
it was meh?? too many separate storylines and characters felt undeveloped