mirpanda277's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, it was sweet and fun! I just wasn't over the moon enough to give it 5 stars. I was a bit confused by the climax/end scenes--or maybe I just wish I had more substance of her being with Sam.
Also, I picked up the book thinking--for some silly reason--that it was an adult romance, so maybe I was operating under some disappointment there.
Also, I picked up the book thinking--for some silly reason--that it was an adult romance, so maybe I was operating under some disappointment there.
cakt1991's review against another edition
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
Happily Ever Afters was a DNF around the time it originally came out, and I’m now at a loss as to why. This book is right up my alley, being about a teen writer who loves romance, but hasn’t experienced one herself, and is using romance tropes to find a love of her own, and I mostly ate it up this time.
Tessa is relatable in a lot of ways for me, for those aforementioned reasons, and she’s fun to follow, and while she’s a bit messy, that only made her much more interesting. She’s not always the most likable, but I think that only makes her more sympathetic, as I could understand what she was going through.
There’s a love triangle, and it’s pretty obvious which direction it will go from the beginning, but I was no less invested. And there’s a great reversal of roles with the trope as well, with the guy-next-door (literally) being the one you root for, and who she realizes has been there all along, instead of choosing the broody guy, which is often a staple of romance stories.
The one thing I can think of that may have hampered my enjoyment two years ago and is still somewhat noticeable is the pacing. The beginning took a bit to get going and set up the premise, and while the book overall isn’t too long for romance standards, I definitely felt like the story dragged in places.
And even considering when the book came out, the literary and pop culture references feel dated and even problematic. Harry Potter is mentioned a ridiculous amount, and while Rowling’s comments as they were known at the time are mentioned, Rowling’s escalation in anti-trans rhetoric has made these references feel even more in bad taste. It’s also weird to see the characters talking about diversity (or lack thereof) in the series so casually, given this is one of the other things Rowling has been under fire for, even before she was outed as mask-off transphobic. I feel that the space devoted to fangirling over HP could have been spent on more relevant romance references, especially unpacking the issues with comparative lack of visibility for Black girls like Tessa, something that the blurb specifically mentions.
Despite some of the issues, some of which were somewhat out of Bryant’s control, this is a fun debut to look back on, especially having read her more recent work. With the caveat that there are these references that might bother some people, I do recommend this to anyone looking for a fun YA contemporary with a messy Black lead.
oxtailandcabbage's review
4.0
Thoughtful, warm, ecstatic
I want to pick up all three books from this series. I can't believe I waited this long to read it. Shame on me!
Let me give a brief summary. This novel opens up with Tessa entering a new art high school in this new town in California, to pursue her writing. New fancy school, fresh faces, some not so friendly and with the hint of wealth in the air, Tessa isn't really sure this is the environment for her to thrive in. Writing has always been this intimate thing between herself and her keyboard. Her mind is constantly crafting new love stories and her best friend Caroline is the only one who gets to gush over them. No one else. It solidified their bond, added a lot of excitement to their friendship. But Caroline isn't here anymore in this new town, at this new school with Tessa. She's definitely a phone call or text away but not here physically where they can hold hands. Tessa has to figure out how to get her writing groove back because of this, navigate this new creative space, make friends and fit in.
Thoughts:
This book was very cute, and oh so stressful at times my god! Lol . I forget how stressful being a teenager can be wow! I really understood where Tessa was coming from, the frustrations she felt, the jealousies and guilt. I really liked how the author didn't shy away from having our protagonist experience those things. They are important and part of being human. Tessa wasn't made out to be this perfect person. She is a teenager, navigating uncertainty in a lot of areas in her life. The writing scenes were quite lovely, the angst, the fear, the thrill of diving into characters and stories. I felt seen because I used to write fanfiction when I was a kid too! It was nice to know that Tessa did the same when she was starting out. Feeling like an impostor is a common theme in this book, belonging at school , at home. It was very well executed, weaved like a thread, taking us places we never expected the story would go. The aspects of community in this book were very nice and the food descriptions made me hungry for sweets. I blame Sam! His character was very fun to read. I liked how confident and passionate he was, especially with his cooking. He was such an understanding and caring boy, very attentive and always wanting to listen and help where he could.
And of course i couldnt write this review and not talk about Lenore. Lenore was that girl!!!!! I am so excited for book 2 because of her lol. She was sooo cool, eclectic and funny and so honest and so freaking talented, man!
This story was definitely a page turner. I was so immersed in the family dynamics and teen drama, that when act 3 came around and the mood shifted, I was not at all ready for it. I was holding my breath the entire time. I forgot the book was even supposed to end at some point. Such a banger 4 out of 5 stars!
I want to pick up all three books from this series. I can't believe I waited this long to read it. Shame on me!
Let me give a brief summary. This novel opens up with Tessa entering a new art high school in this new town in California, to pursue her writing. New fancy school, fresh faces, some not so friendly and with the hint of wealth in the air, Tessa isn't really sure this is the environment for her to thrive in. Writing has always been this intimate thing between herself and her keyboard. Her mind is constantly crafting new love stories and her best friend Caroline is the only one who gets to gush over them. No one else. It solidified their bond, added a lot of excitement to their friendship. But Caroline isn't here anymore in this new town, at this new school with Tessa. She's definitely a phone call or text away but not here physically where they can hold hands. Tessa has to figure out how to get her writing groove back because of this, navigate this new creative space, make friends and fit in.
Thoughts:
This book was very cute, and oh so stressful at times my god! Lol . I forget how stressful being a teenager can be wow! I really understood where Tessa was coming from, the frustrations she felt, the jealousies and guilt. I really liked how the author didn't shy away from having our protagonist experience those things. They are important and part of being human. Tessa wasn't made out to be this perfect person. She is a teenager, navigating uncertainty in a lot of areas in her life. The writing scenes were quite lovely, the angst, the fear, the thrill of diving into characters and stories. I felt seen because I used to write fanfiction when I was a kid too! It was nice to know that Tessa did the same when she was starting out. Feeling like an impostor is a common theme in this book, belonging at school , at home. It was very well executed, weaved like a thread, taking us places we never expected the story would go. The aspects of community in this book were very nice and the food descriptions made me hungry for sweets. I blame Sam! His character was very fun to read. I liked how confident and passionate he was, especially with his cooking. He was such an understanding and caring boy, very attentive and always wanting to listen and help where he could.
And of course i couldnt write this review and not talk about Lenore. Lenore was that girl!!!!! I am so excited for book 2 because of her lol. She was sooo cool, eclectic and funny and so honest and so freaking talented, man!
This story was definitely a page turner. I was so immersed in the family dynamics and teen drama, that when act 3 came around and the mood shifted, I was not at all ready for it. I was holding my breath the entire time. I forgot the book was even supposed to end at some point. Such a banger 4 out of 5 stars!
bluli's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
As a white adult woman I’m not the target audience for this teen romance so you should take this review with a bigger grain of salt than usual.
Since this is a book for teenagers, I’m feeling generous and rate it 3,5 stars. It is more or less what you would expect from this genre. I especially liked that the main character is a (romance) writer. I liked the idea behind most characters, different kinds of relationships, plot points (I especially love, that Tessa “lost” her ability to write, this was so interesting) and social commentaries but I felt like the execution was lacking. I think the author needs to work on her narrative voice, the writing was ok at best but it didn’t make me fall in love with the characters (even though Sam is very much the kind of character to fall in love with as well as many of the supporting characters). The book also reminded me of the fact that I dislike most drama in typical teen romances (but that was on me).
So yeah, enjoyable enough but I think it didn’t reach all of it’s potential.
Since this is a book for teenagers, I’m feeling generous and rate it 3,5 stars. It is more or less what you would expect from this genre. I especially liked that the main character is a (romance) writer. I liked the idea behind most characters, different kinds of relationships, plot points (I especially love, that Tessa “lost” her ability to write, this was so interesting) and social commentaries but I felt like the execution was lacking. I think the author needs to work on her narrative voice, the writing was ok at best but it didn’t make me fall in love with the characters (even though Sam is very much the kind of character to fall in love with as well as many of the supporting characters). The book also reminded me of the fact that I dislike most drama in typical teen romances (but that was on me).
So yeah, enjoyable enough but I think it didn’t reach all of it’s potential.
alifromkc1907's review against another edition
3.0
Gut Instinct Rating: 3
Characters: 3
Believability: 2
Uniqueness: 4
Writing Style: 4
Excitement Factor: 4
Story Line: 5
Title Relevance: 5
Artwork Relevance: 5
Audiobook Narration: 4.25
Overall: 3.93
Characters: 3
Believability: 2
Uniqueness: 4
Writing Style: 4
Excitement Factor: 4
Story Line: 5
Title Relevance: 5
Artwork Relevance: 5
Audiobook Narration: 4.25
Overall: 3.93
pstrange's review against another edition
3.0
I Loved:
-the HP book references
-how Tessa taught me to be self-aware, to not judge a book by its cover, & when you don’t find someone physically attractive, you are quick to criticize them & when you do find someone physically attractive, you downplay their shortcomings
-Tessa’s character development & her growth in her struggles with anxiety & as a writer. She goes from staying quiet just to be someone others might like to speaking up despite what others may think, being afraid to take risks in her writing to realizing the risk is worth the reward, from ignoring her anxiety to acknowledging it & not letting it stop her, from realizing that accepting & loving herself should’ve come before trying to find the perfect guy, from wanting to blend in to wanting to stand out, from deflecting & explaining away compliments to just saying ‘Thank you,’ from thinking she needed to find love with a boy to start writing again to realizing that she needed to love herself first.
-the relationship between Tessa & her older brother, Miles. It is very endearing & sweet! Very insightful in showing how Miles’ disability affects the Johnson family not just individually, but their interpersonal relationships as well. And showing how Tessa’s anxiety affects her day-to-day life.
-how Elise Bryant has the characters notice each other’s body language & nonverbal gestures. You can infer how the character is feeling and/or what they may be thinking without blatantly making it known by them saying it aloud or naming an emotion.
-how, through Tessa, Elise Bryant shows the power of what we think of ourselves & what we say about ourselves. That when all we say & think about ourselves is negative, it negatively impacts how we see ourselves. When we choose to self-talk in a way that is positive & uplifting, it positively impacts how we see ourselves. This is a great lesson for teenage girls & women!
-Tessa’s imperfection-Starting out, I had quite a difficult time connecting with Tessa. Throughout most of the story, she is defensive, inconsistent, naive, selfish, ungrateful, & very hard on herself. This is fiction & therefore, I shouldn’t expect her (nor any of the characters) to be perfect. Sorry for putting my false, unrealistically high expectations on you Tessa. It would be very boring to read a fiction book filled with perfect characters. I wouldn’t be able to relate to them. Even in her imperfection, it gave me an opportunity to relate to her & to see her character development (which was very satisfying).
I Would’ve Loved:
-to see Sam’s perspective throughout the book
-a few phrases/terms not being overused throughout the book (eyebrows being furrowed, pinched, and/or pressed together, side-eye)
-since this is a YA romance book, heavy topics shouldn’t be treated as an afterthought. If I wanted to read about the crack epidemic, lack of diversity in HP, police brutality, JK Rowling’s view of the LGBT community, & the experience of shopping while black, I’d read nonfiction or a fiction book that’s centered around that particular subject (i.e. ‘The Hate You Give’). Although I can appreciate the author wanting Tessa to have convictions & opinions, I found the ‘sprinkling’ of these very heavy topics throughout the book to be out of place & unnecessary
-if Tessa didn’t need Sam validating her to make her realize that she was amazing, deserving of attention, precious, treasured, & important
-if Tessa was unbiased toward her Mom. She was so mad at first when they had to move for her Dad’s job, but then questions ‘how can she stay mad at him for doing something good for their family? When it all shakes out, he puts them first.’ This being said, she struggles in the beginning of the story to forgive her mom for secretly submitting her portfolio for Chrysalis Academy & she fails to see that what her mom did was also good for her & that she was also putting her first.
-the HP book references
-how Tessa taught me to be self-aware, to not judge a book by its cover, & when you don’t find someone physically attractive, you are quick to criticize them & when you do find someone physically attractive, you downplay their shortcomings
-Tessa’s character development & her growth in her struggles with anxiety & as a writer. She goes from staying quiet just to be someone others might like to speaking up despite what others may think, being afraid to take risks in her writing to realizing the risk is worth the reward, from ignoring her anxiety to acknowledging it & not letting it stop her, from realizing that accepting & loving herself should’ve come before trying to find the perfect guy, from wanting to blend in to wanting to stand out, from deflecting & explaining away compliments to just saying ‘Thank you,’ from thinking she needed to find love with a boy to start writing again to realizing that she needed to love herself first.
-the relationship between Tessa & her older brother, Miles. It is very endearing & sweet! Very insightful in showing how Miles’ disability affects the Johnson family not just individually, but their interpersonal relationships as well. And showing how Tessa’s anxiety affects her day-to-day life.
-how Elise Bryant has the characters notice each other’s body language & nonverbal gestures. You can infer how the character is feeling and/or what they may be thinking without blatantly making it known by them saying it aloud or naming an emotion.
-how, through Tessa, Elise Bryant shows the power of what we think of ourselves & what we say about ourselves. That when all we say & think about ourselves is negative, it negatively impacts how we see ourselves. When we choose to self-talk in a way that is positive & uplifting, it positively impacts how we see ourselves. This is a great lesson for teenage girls & women!
-Tessa’s imperfection-Starting out, I had quite a difficult time connecting with Tessa. Throughout most of the story, she is defensive, inconsistent, naive, selfish, ungrateful, & very hard on herself. This is fiction & therefore, I shouldn’t expect her (nor any of the characters) to be perfect. Sorry for putting my false, unrealistically high expectations on you Tessa. It would be very boring to read a fiction book filled with perfect characters. I wouldn’t be able to relate to them. Even in her imperfection, it gave me an opportunity to relate to her & to see her character development (which was very satisfying).
I Would’ve Loved:
-to see Sam’s perspective throughout the book
-a few phrases/terms not being overused throughout the book (eyebrows being furrowed, pinched, and/or pressed together, side-eye)
-since this is a YA romance book, heavy topics shouldn’t be treated as an afterthought. If I wanted to read about the crack epidemic, lack of diversity in HP, police brutality, JK Rowling’s view of the LGBT community, & the experience of shopping while black, I’d read nonfiction or a fiction book that’s centered around that particular subject (i.e. ‘The Hate You Give’). Although I can appreciate the author wanting Tessa to have convictions & opinions, I found the ‘sprinkling’ of these very heavy topics throughout the book to be out of place & unnecessary
-if Tessa didn’t need Sam validating her to make her realize that she was amazing, deserving of attention, precious, treasured, & important
-if Tessa was unbiased toward her Mom. She was so mad at first when they had to move for her Dad’s job, but then questions ‘how can she stay mad at him for doing something good for their family? When it all shakes out, he puts them first.’ This being said, she struggles in the beginning of the story to forgive her mom for secretly submitting her portfolio for Chrysalis Academy & she fails to see that what her mom did was also good for her & that she was also putting her first.
megan_mitchell's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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? Yes
4.25
biblioemily's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. There are a lot of semi-current pop culture references, which I always find takes me out of the story and will make the book feel dated quickly. It's a decent romance with some good representation, especially Tessa's brother, Miles. But there are a lot of old romance tropes (the mean girlfriend, the hot guy vs the dork, etc). I'd give it to 7th grade & up, though middle school readers should know there is some language. The romance stays pretty chaste, though Tessa's best friend is considering having sex with her boyfriend.