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ioanaisreading's review against another edition
3.0
3.5*
Making friends is always hard, and Jade finds it so, too. Her bestie is in a big yellow notebook; her name's Zoe. Imagination is not something Jade lacks, so she can imagine all the fun she and Zoe can have.
This is the story of how to see and make friends with those around you, those waiting for you to look. Clue is one these people waiting. With a bit of magic, he makes Jade's wish come true - Zoe gets to live and be an in-real-life friend for Jade. However, Jade soon learns that it's harder than she thought to control every aspect of a friendship, and that being yourself and letting your friends be themselves will lead to a healthy friendship.
There are other deep aspects in the novel: Jade's sadness that people don't seem to stick for long in her town, her father's illness, her striving to be a better and better writer listening to Mrs. Yang's tips, her English teacher. All these add depth and by the end of the novel, Jade is more mature and sure of herself and her place in the school and in her family.
I absolutely adored this, and I think it's perfect for every middle grade student, but not only. A good starting point for discussions as well.
I received a free e-book copy of this novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
Making friends is always hard, and Jade finds it so, too. Her bestie is in a big yellow notebook; her name's Zoe. Imagination is not something Jade lacks, so she can imagine all the fun she and Zoe can have.
This is the story of how to see and make friends with those around you, those waiting for you to look. Clue is one these people waiting. With a bit of magic, he makes Jade's wish come true - Zoe gets to live and be an in-real-life friend for Jade. However, Jade soon learns that it's harder than she thought to control every aspect of a friendship, and that being yourself and letting your friends be themselves will lead to a healthy friendship.
There are other deep aspects in the novel: Jade's sadness that people don't seem to stick for long in her town, her father's illness, her striving to be a better and better writer listening to Mrs. Yang's tips, her English teacher. All these add depth and by the end of the novel, Jade is more mature and sure of herself and her place in the school and in her family.
I absolutely adored this, and I think it's perfect for every middle grade student, but not only. A good starting point for discussions as well.
I received a free e-book copy of this novel from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.
thereadingtrashqueen's review against another edition
4.0
3,5/5
A huge thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in return for an honest review.
Friend or Fiction immediately caught my attention because of the cover, and then summary pulled me in. Imaginary friends are such a big and important phenomenon, yet so tricky to cover. Cooper used Jade's writing and I thought it absolutely brilliant.
Unfortunately the book let me down somewhat, as I wasn't fond of how easily Jade used her control over Zoe, even if she at times felt uncomfortable about it, and her clinginess and jealousy, even though I understood. It put a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, as I started out loving Jade, only to like her less and less as the story went on. However, because of the things I didn't like, there are some really important lessons in here for kids, that might otherwise not really hit home.
I do want to give a major shoutout to Clue/Gresham, for being so kind and helpful even if Jade is awful to him all the time.
Last, but not least, this deals with cancer in the family as well. And not just as a background thing- it's a big part of the story. Jade worries about her father all the time. I got really emotional over something related to it, concerning Jade's little brother.
Overall, I give Friend or Fiction 3,5/5 stars, rounded up to 4, as I did really enjoy reading it. It's a fast and easy read, dealing with some serious things. Would definitely recommend!
A huge thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in return for an honest review.
Friend or Fiction immediately caught my attention because of the cover, and then summary pulled me in. Imaginary friends are such a big and important phenomenon, yet so tricky to cover. Cooper used Jade's writing and I thought it absolutely brilliant.
Unfortunately the book let me down somewhat, as I wasn't fond of how easily Jade used her control over Zoe, even if she at times felt uncomfortable about it, and her clinginess and jealousy, even though I understood. It put a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, as I started out loving Jade, only to like her less and less as the story went on. However, because of the things I didn't like, there are some really important lessons in here for kids, that might otherwise not really hit home.
I do want to give a major shoutout to Clue/Gresham, for being so kind and helpful even if Jade is awful to him all the time.
Last, but not least, this deals with cancer in the family as well. And not just as a background thing- it's a big part of the story. Jade worries about her father all the time. I got really emotional over something related to it, concerning Jade's little brother.
Overall, I give Friend or Fiction 3,5/5 stars, rounded up to 4, as I did really enjoy reading it. It's a fast and easy read, dealing with some serious things. Would definitely recommend!
danyell919's review against another edition
4.0
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I’ll be honest: at first, I wasn’t really sure about this book. I thought it was a great concept but I wasn’t a huge fan of how Jade treated Zoe. BUT I was very happy with the resolution and how the book ended. I thought it did a great job exploring grief, fear, and how to navigate early friendships.
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
When a girl with the exact same name, same skin color, same sense of confidence Jade created and wrote about in her notebook to soothe herself in a town where no one ever stays and every friend she's ever had has "moved on," she does a double-take.
Is Zoe real?
She is.
And she's inextricably tied to Jade's notebook, in the sense that, if Jade writes it, Zoe does it, or thinks it, or says it in the way Jade's written it in the notebook.
Which is kinda cool, until Jade starts to consider, is this how friends treat friends? Like playthings, puppets, marionettes, with no free will of their own? Because she likes Zoe, a lot.
Perhaps it's better to have a friend who moves on, than one who stays -- but is only a friend on the page, because she's written that way.
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: http://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Is Zoe real?
She is.
And she's inextricably tied to Jade's notebook, in the sense that, if Jade writes it, Zoe does it, or thinks it, or says it in the way Jade's written it in the notebook.
Which is kinda cool, until Jade starts to consider, is this how friends treat friends? Like playthings, puppets, marionettes, with no free will of their own? Because she likes Zoe, a lot.
Perhaps it's better to have a friend who moves on, than one who stays -- but is only a friend on the page, because she's written that way.
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: http://amb.mystrikingly.com/
raven18's review against another edition
2.75
*2.75. Um. Yeah no. The plot was good, I just did not vibe with the main character.. or any of the characters for that matter. It was decent, but eh.
jbrooxd's review against another edition
4.0
[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
This was so fun! A touch of magic in an otherwise realistic friendship story made this fun to read. I loved all the ways Jade grew through the course of the book - her personal journey was the most satisfying part of this for me. TONS of material for a book group or a classroom read aloud to dig into - cancer, grief, isolation, family, friendship, etc. I also loved all the great writing and writer-related pieces of the story. Don't miss this one.
This was so fun! A touch of magic in an otherwise realistic friendship story made this fun to read. I loved all the ways Jade grew through the course of the book - her personal journey was the most satisfying part of this for me. TONS of material for a book group or a classroom read aloud to dig into - cancer, grief, isolation, family, friendship, etc. I also loved all the great writing and writer-related pieces of the story. Don't miss this one.
bookswithmichelle's review against another edition
3.0
I Received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I have mixed feelings about this book. While I do love YA books, this one was definitely geared at a much younger audience than I identify as. I would not classify this as young adult but as children’s.
With that being said, for the age group it is meant for, this book is great. It is easily understandable and well-written to deal with tough subjects that may arise at any point in your life.
As a child, you want to believe that everything is perfect. That best friends stay best friends. That parents do not get sick. And that everything will always be okay. I loved the way that Jade learned that you can’t control someone’s life. And that what you are looking for, may be right in front of you all along.
I have mixed feelings about this book. While I do love YA books, this one was definitely geared at a much younger audience than I identify as. I would not classify this as young adult but as children’s.
With that being said, for the age group it is meant for, this book is great. It is easily understandable and well-written to deal with tough subjects that may arise at any point in your life.
As a child, you want to believe that everything is perfect. That best friends stay best friends. That parents do not get sick. And that everything will always be okay. I loved the way that Jade learned that you can’t control someone’s life. And that what you are looking for, may be right in front of you all along.
quirkybibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
I've read a lot of middle-grade books lately and love how they center on friendship. At that age, all I wanted was to escape to a world in which friendships were just beautiful and nothing went wrong. I love that this book explores the concept of a perfect friendship and how that can be unhealthy too. I really liked how the characters developed over time and how we not only get to know Jade but also Clue's story and how he fits into Jade's life.
I loved how they handled jade's father having cancer and her feelings about it. Jade and Bo's feelings both felt very real. I liked that they didn't brush over it but they explored the anger and frustration that came with this family's grieving.
Something else I liked about this book was how Jade uses writing as her escape. I thought it was a great way for other topics to be introduced and for her to explore her relationships with others. I loved how her teacher brings things to light about her writing and how real life can sometimes be reflected in writing.
I loved how they handled jade's father having cancer and her feelings about it. Jade and Bo's feelings both felt very real. I liked that they didn't brush over it but they explored the anger and frustration that came with this family's grieving.
Something else I liked about this book was how Jade uses writing as her escape. I thought it was a great way for other topics to be introduced and for her to explore her relationships with others. I loved how her teacher brings things to light about her writing and how real life can sometimes be reflected in writing.
enchaffin's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books I've ever read. Great for anyone, especially kids, who are going through rough times. Like if their parent has cancer.
bexcapades's review against another edition
4.0
I found this a little repetitive in parts but I think it wouldn't be as noticeable for the intended audience (age 10-13).
Jade realises over time that maybe best friends don't need to have the perfect friendship and like all of the same things whilst only wanting to be around each other. They can still be your best friend even if they like different foods, want to spend time with other friends and have different interests.
This book would be good for pre-teens to understand that they don't have to change themselves to be liked. When they are themselves, they will attract the right best friend as faking your personality or changing who you are will only make you feel more alone.
Jade realises over time that maybe best friends don't need to have the perfect friendship and like all of the same things whilst only wanting to be around each other. They can still be your best friend even if they like different foods, want to spend time with other friends and have different interests.
This book would be good for pre-teens to understand that they don't have to change themselves to be liked. When they are themselves, they will attract the right best friend as faking your personality or changing who you are will only make you feel more alone.