Scan barcode
infjkiki's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Child death and Pregnancy
lydialague's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
13 Going On 30 is one of my very favorite movies, so upon reading the synopsis I knew I had to read this one. And wow, did it deliver. A time travel plot, fun pop culture references, laugh out loud moments, and a romance I was genuinely smiling like an idiot over - it was just what this newly 30 year old heart needed. It gave me such nostalgia about high school, but more importantly it gave me the reminder and inspiration to live in the moment, now and always.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Minor: Child death
chasingpages1's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Grief and Gaslighting
Minor: Child death, Cursing, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
peachani's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming and Toxic friendship
Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
disclaimer: I donโt really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
Thank you to my friend @pawneepubliclibrary_ for recommending this book for my 2024 #12Friends12Books challenge.
This is definitely comparable to 13 Going on 30, but the 30-year-old portion was so short! I wanted more! We follow the story of Charlotte Wu and JT Renner, enemies ever since he blew off their date in freshman year of high school. Now it's senior year, JT stole the senior class presidency from her, and is steamrolling all of her ideas for their upcoming prom. He is basically the bane of her existence (oh la la sounds fun hehe), and for no reason! It's driving Charlotte up the dang wall... or to a nasty fall. I did not mean for that to rhyme, I'm just a menace right now. Anyway, with this fall, she wakes up 13 years into the future, as 30-year-old Charlotte, who is about to marry JT?!?!?! WILD. They have to figure out how to get back to their 17-year-old selves, and along the way, figure out a bit about themselves and their relationship that they were not expecting.
Though the enemies-to-lovers buildup was really sweet and swoon-worthy, what stood out more to me was the dynamic between Charlotte and her dad, who is semi-estranged from her. He left her and her mom, found a new girlfriend, and that girlfriend ispregnant, which Charlotte has complicated feeling about, understandably. I found Charlotte's behavior and thoughts to speak authentically to how a teenager would act in her situation. I really sympathized, and could only imagine the emotional gymnastics of feeling as if you were not enough for your dad to stay, and then you watch him get a "do over" essentially. However, I appreciated the reckoning she had with what happens to them in the future, as it shifted her perspective and I think we all sometimes need that.
Overall, I found the banter between Charlotte and JT to be a delight, the parental/familial dynamics to be fraught and authentic, and the arc of Charlotte's coming-of-age to be so angsty and bittersweet. I love Amy Lea and think she should write more YA characters!
Thank you to my friend @pawneepubliclibrary_ for recommending this book for my 2024 #12Friends12Books challenge.
This is definitely comparable to 13 Going on 30, but the 30-year-old portion was so short! I wanted more! We follow the story of Charlotte Wu and JT Renner, enemies ever since he blew off their date in freshman year of high school. Now it's senior year, JT stole the senior class presidency from her, and is steamrolling all of her ideas for their upcoming prom. He is basically the bane of her existence (oh la la sounds fun hehe), and for no reason! It's driving Charlotte up the dang wall... or to a nasty fall. I did not mean for that to rhyme, I'm just a menace right now. Anyway, with this fall, she wakes up 13 years into the future, as 30-year-old Charlotte, who is about to marry JT?!?!?! WILD. They have to figure out how to get back to their 17-year-old selves, and along the way, figure out a bit about themselves and their relationship that they were not expecting.
Though the enemies-to-lovers buildup was really sweet and swoon-worthy, what stood out more to me was the dynamic between Charlotte and her dad, who is semi-estranged from her. He left her and her mom, found a new girlfriend, and that girlfriend is
Overall, I found the banter between Charlotte and JT to be a delight, the parental/familial dynamics to be fraught and authentic, and the arc of Charlotte's coming-of-age to be so angsty and bittersweet. I love Amy Lea and think she should write more YA characters!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Death, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
llipari1022's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Car accident, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
kspetelunas's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
When I first started this, I wasn't sure what kind of YA I was getting into... but as I got to the second half of the book, I felt a super deep connection to Char and my emotional part of my brain took over. Crazy to think I was going to make this a 3 star, and it's definitely a 5 star for me!
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
katelynndzindzio's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
If you love 13 Going on 30, this book is your you. Just imaging being 17 and then falling off a ladder and being 30, in the bed with your high school enemy. Come to find out- Charlotte and J. T. Renner really were perfect for each other. You fall in love with them as they fall in love with each other, or realize they had been in love the whole time. The banter is perfection.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Grief, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
dianaschmidty's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was so adorable!
If you love 2000s/2010s teen romcoms, you need to pick up this book, because it felt designed for those of us who grew up loving those movies! It also gave me the same vibes as many of my favorite books, especially ๐๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ท๐ช๐ฆ๐ด and ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฅ๐ข๐บ!
Charlotte is probably one of my favorite main characters of a contemporary YA book Iโve ever read! She felt like a real teenager while also not having the negative stereotypes usually given to YA heroines. She also felt complex, being Type A while also acknowledging where being Type A has failed her in her life and in her relationships. I also thought that her having complicated relationships with both of her parents felt very realistic.
The way friendships were portrayed in this book was very refreshing! I think anyone who was at any point a teenage girl can think of at least one friendship that they could relate to Charlotte and Kassieโs. I know that I had a best friend in high school that I havenโt talked to since we graduated. Itโs such a realistic portrayal of how some friendships arenโt meant to last, but that doesnโt mean that you hold any ill will towards those people. Also, I love Char and Rennerโs friend group in the future. I hope I have a group of friends like that when Iโm 30!
I absolutely loved Charlotte and Renner together! Their scenes together were both funny and adorable! The only thing I would say may be missing from this book is a few more CharRenner chapters, but beyond wishing there was more of them, I loved them!
Thank you to NetGalley, Mindyโs Book Studio, and Amy Lea for providing me access to this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
cassidy_rain's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Overall thought this was a cute YA coming of age story! Iโm sure I would have devoured it if I read this when I was in high school! The beginning was a little slow for me, but I did think it picked up. Predictable but fun read! Iโd recommend to people who like 13 going on 30, back to the future, and anything by Jenny Han! I enjoyed that both characters experienced the time warp, I feel like this is something we donโt usually see in these kinds of stories and it was a fun addition!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Toxic friendship