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A review by bizzybee429
My New Crush Gave to Me by Shani Petroff
4.0
This was so effing fun. I love the holidays, I love romcoms, I love cookies, I love secret santas, and I loved this book. I said in my pre-read that it looked like While You Were Sleeping and you know what? I was kind of right. They were similar in the best way. I’m so happy right now.
Characters
The characters were surprisingly well-developed, which I have found to be rare in recently released YA contemporaries. A lot of people said Charlie was their least-favorite, and I can definitely see why, but I loved her because I related to her so much. I had my fair share of wanting to yell at her through the book, of course, but that just made it all the more enjoyable for me.
J. D. was probably my favorite character, and just. wow. what an all-around good guy. He’s so sweet to Charlie throughout the entire book and it breaks my heart (in the best way) the way their relationship progresses. He is so selfless and just wants Charlie to be happy??? frick.
Morgan was another one of my favorites. Not only was she an awesome best friend and her and Ira the cutest couple, but!!!! finally!!!!!! Jewish rep in holiday stories!!!! give me those Hanukkah traditions!! I am so excited!! This is so rare!! Honestly read this book JUST for the Jewish rep
Teo who?? I don’t know him
Plot
I said this before and I’ll say it again: While. You. Were. Sleeping. Do you know how much I love that movie? Do you know how much I love Sandra Bullock?? Do you know how similar this book was to While You Were Sleeping (while still being an entirely different concept and idea)????? SO MUCH. SO EFFING MUCH.
The plot was kind of predictable but you know what? I don’t care. The story was so perfect, the romance was so beautifully set up in a slow-burn, and aaaskaskldfjkas it was seriously so fricking beautiful. My one wish was that it had been longer. I need more Charlie and J. D. in my life stat.
Also lol there were such hilariously written scenes where you laugh but you’re also like cringing but in a great way, in a The Office kind of way because it’s so real and so kdjksdk it’s just. oh my gosh. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t, but just. Please read this. Please
Romance
Talked a little about this earlier but honestly!! I am so happy with this beautiful slow-burn romance between two people who are absolutely perfect for each other and this is some jim and pam level otp right there (yeah I said it)
Honestly I do not think I have read a SINGLE ya contemporary, nay, ya novel, that has a more excellently crafted romance plotline with such amazing and flawed characters. Charlie and J. D. complement each other in an awesome way, and every scene where they interact contributes in little ways to turning their relationship from annoy-each-other-to-death to mad-for-each-other and aaaaaa I’m just so happy. I could talk about them for years. I want to reread this already.
Writing
The writing is incredibly easy to follow and makes the novel more enjoyable! It’s def written as more of a lower/middle YA novel but it’s rarely immature in the language/style used. The dialogue is a little choppy at times, but I can forgive some non-contractions when everything else is so wonderfully perfect.
So listen,,,,,,,,,, you should definitely read this. Spread this holiday cheer. Please read it (and then talk to me about it). Please
Characters
The characters were surprisingly well-developed, which I have found to be rare in recently released YA contemporaries. A lot of people said Charlie was their least-favorite, and I can definitely see why, but I loved her because I related to her so much. I had my fair share of wanting to yell at her through the book, of course, but that just made it all the more enjoyable for me.
J. D. was probably my favorite character, and just. wow. what an all-around good guy. He’s so sweet to Charlie throughout the entire book and it breaks my heart (in the best way) the way their relationship progresses. He is so selfless and just wants Charlie to be happy??? frick.
Morgan was another one of my favorites. Not only was she an awesome best friend and her and Ira the cutest couple, but!!!! finally!!!!!! Jewish rep in holiday stories!!!! give me those Hanukkah traditions!! I am so excited!! This is so rare!! Honestly read this book JUST for the Jewish rep
Teo who?? I don’t know him
Plot
I said this before and I’ll say it again: While. You. Were. Sleeping. Do you know how much I love that movie? Do you know how much I love Sandra Bullock?? Do you know how similar this book was to While You Were Sleeping (while still being an entirely different concept and idea)????? SO MUCH. SO EFFING MUCH.
The plot was kind of predictable but you know what? I don’t care. The story was so perfect, the romance was so beautifully set up in a slow-burn, and aaaskaskldfjkas it was seriously so fricking beautiful. My one wish was that it had been longer. I need more Charlie and J. D. in my life stat.
Also lol there were such hilariously written scenes where you laugh but you’re also like cringing but in a great way, in a The Office kind of way because it’s so real and so kdjksdk it’s just. oh my gosh. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t, but just. Please read this. Please
Romance
Talked a little about this earlier but honestly!! I am so happy with this beautiful slow-burn romance between two people who are absolutely perfect for each other and this is some jim and pam level otp right there (yeah I said it)
Honestly I do not think I have read a SINGLE ya contemporary, nay, ya novel, that has a more excellently crafted romance plotline with such amazing and flawed characters. Charlie and J. D. complement each other in an awesome way, and every scene where they interact contributes in little ways to turning their relationship from annoy-each-other-to-death to mad-for-each-other and aaaaaa I’m just so happy. I could talk about them for years. I want to reread this already.
Writing
The writing is incredibly easy to follow and makes the novel more enjoyable! It’s def written as more of a lower/middle YA novel but it’s rarely immature in the language/style used. The dialogue is a little choppy at times, but I can forgive some non-contractions when everything else is so wonderfully perfect.
So listen,,,,,,,,,, you should definitely read this. Spread this holiday cheer. Please read it (and then talk to me about it). Please