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moh's review
4.0
4.5 stars
There are so many things I loved about If It Makes You Happy. For starters, it's an own-voices YA adult novel with a bi-romantic, ace, fat, Black protagonist, set in a quirky small town. I also just adored seeing the MC negotiate feelings and boundaries in a poly relationship, while staying true to the characters' age (18), and I loved how important each of her family members were to her and that we got a strong sense of these individual relationships. I did think some of the transitions between scenes were a little confusing, but overall this was a pleasure to read, and I very much look forward to reading more by Claire Kann.
There are so many things I loved about If It Makes You Happy. For starters, it's an own-voices YA adult novel with a bi-romantic, ace, fat, Black protagonist, set in a quirky small town. I also just adored seeing the MC negotiate feelings and boundaries in a poly relationship, while staying true to the characters' age (18), and I loved how important each of her family members were to her and that we got a strong sense of these individual relationships. I did think some of the transitions between scenes were a little confusing, but overall this was a pleasure to read, and I very much look forward to reading more by Claire Kann.
amanda_bookdragon's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-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
psistillreadyou's review against another edition
There are too many subplots. The fatphobia is triggering. The romance seems like it will be an annoying love triangle which I'm not in the mood for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Infidelity
kizzabell's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
lipstickitotheman's review against another edition
I think I've aged out of YA. That's all
barnesbookshelf's review
4.0
Once again, Claire Kann knocks it out of the park with representation. I never thought I would be able to read a young adult book featuring a bisexual in a queerplatonic and polyamorous relationship, but here we are! I love how Winnie grows over the course of the book, and how she realizes her worth in a way that's different from other young adult books. Also, Winnie's humor shines through the narrative, and made me laugh out loud multiple times.
My one criticism of the book is that it is sometimes hard to understand who is talking. Kann doesn't always use dialogue tags as needed, especially in scenes with more than two characters. It sometimes takes several re-reads of a conversation to fully grasp what's being said by whom.
Also, the Goodreads plot description is wrong. Winnie's family is not at risk for losing the diner without winning the contest. The book is more about Winnie navigating complex relationships than the contest, though the contest does play into those relationships.
My one criticism of the book is that it is sometimes hard to understand who is talking. Kann doesn't always use dialogue tags as needed, especially in scenes with more than two characters. It sometimes takes several re-reads of a conversation to fully grasp what's being said by whom.
Also, the Goodreads plot description is wrong. Winnie's family is not at risk for losing the diner without winning the contest. The book is more about Winnie navigating complex relationships than the contest, though the contest does play into those relationships.
laura_cs's review
5.0
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Winnie is thrilled to be spending her last summer before college working at her Granny's diner, Goldeen's. She'll get to spend time at her favorite home-away-from-home with her favorite people: her Granny, her 'baby' brother Winston, her cousin Sam, and her ungirlfriend Kara. But her plans for an easy summer quickly go awry in a quick series of events: first she is unexpectedly chosen as the Haven Summer Royalty Queen and thrust into the spotlight--a place she'd really rather not be. Then both Kara and cute Dallas volunteer to be her consort--and when Dallas wins the tiebreaker, suddenly things are not good between Winnie and Kara. Then Winnie loses her cool when the town doctor berates her about her weight, and suddenly everyone has an opinion about Winnie's appearance and her Granny is furious and meddling. Add in a cooking competition, some geese from hell, a grumpy little brother and a clingy cousin, and Winnie's easy summer is a thing of the past. What's a girl to do?
A fantastic sophomore novel from Claire Kann, "If It Makes You Happy" is a tale of love, friendship, family, and handling crises like a Boss. Winnie is a Queen of Communication, which I adore from a YA novel, as it sets up a positive example in dealing with friends, family, and romantic interests when there are problems rather than simply assuming (or mis-assuming) the situation. It also is a great example of what to do when you communicate and the other person doesn't listen. The ending is bittersweet because of this, but, again, is incredibly important. Winnie's voice is perfect: mature and independent, but still young and sorting life out. Her love of herself, her family, and her friends shines on every page--even when they're not all getting along.
The long and short of it is, "If It Makes You Happy" will, well, make you happy!
(Also, be on the lookout for a cameo appearance from "Let's Talk About Love" protagonists Alice and Takumi!)
Winnie is thrilled to be spending her last summer before college working at her Granny's diner, Goldeen's. She'll get to spend time at her favorite home-away-from-home with her favorite people: her Granny, her 'baby' brother Winston, her cousin Sam, and her ungirlfriend Kara. But her plans for an easy summer quickly go awry in a quick series of events: first she is unexpectedly chosen as the Haven Summer Royalty Queen and thrust into the spotlight--a place she'd really rather not be. Then both Kara and cute Dallas volunteer to be her consort--and when Dallas wins the tiebreaker, suddenly things are not good between Winnie and Kara. Then Winnie loses her cool when the town doctor berates her about her weight, and suddenly everyone has an opinion about Winnie's appearance and her Granny is furious and meddling. Add in a cooking competition, some geese from hell, a grumpy little brother and a clingy cousin, and Winnie's easy summer is a thing of the past. What's a girl to do?
A fantastic sophomore novel from Claire Kann, "If It Makes You Happy" is a tale of love, friendship, family, and handling crises like a Boss. Winnie is a Queen of Communication, which I adore from a YA novel, as it sets up a positive example in dealing with friends, family, and romantic interests when there are problems rather than simply assuming (or mis-assuming) the situation. It also is a great example of what to do when you communicate and the other person doesn't listen. The ending is bittersweet because of this, but, again, is incredibly important. Winnie's voice is perfect: mature and independent, but still young and sorting life out. Her love of herself, her family, and her friends shines on every page--even when they're not all getting along.
The long and short of it is, "If It Makes You Happy" will, well, make you happy!
(Also, be on the lookout for a cameo appearance from "Let's Talk About Love" protagonists Alice and Takumi!)
abishop23's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-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
3.5
babyleo's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-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? It's complicated
3.0
evermoreembers's review
3.0
I loved the main character of this book! I love how she was written and could relate to a lot of her feelings and actions. The story did feel like it was everywhere. From the beginning, I felt that this was just kind of a story about a girl's summer before college. Though, I felt that there was a lot that was never explained. It bothered me how Kara's sexuality was never fully explained. I think she was supposed to be Asexual. They just made it seem like there was something wrong with her or that she wasn't "good enough". Which is incredibly sad. It also bothered me that the reader is supposed to understand the hints or the subtext. When Winnie would tell Kara that anyone added to the relationship would be "In addition too" implies that they are Poly? It could have been stated that Kara would always be her primary partner instead of dancing around and saying "We come as a package". I really did enjoy the story, but I feel there could have been more inclusive language. Especially for a story about a Queer woman in a small town.