A review by jay_da_bookworm
Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

After reading both Delilah’s and Astrid’s stories, I found Astrid’s storyline to be more enjoyable. Although, I will admit there were some parts that I found to be a bit cringey like Astrid being compared to a Twilight vampire on more than one occasion. I loved the exploration of her character with the self-doubt about who she is, who her mother wants her to be, and who she wants to be. It was nice to see Astrid grow as an individual and slowly discover the person she wants to be instead of the person she believes she has to be.

I also felt like the romance was a tad bit more developed; it really played into the theme of self-discovery. One aspect I did have an issue with was the third-act breakup. I’m not a fan of the trope to begin with and the fact it was done in the previous book made it that more annoying. There was no need for it except for maybe introducing Jordan's ex and honestly, I could have gone the whole book without that. 

I would have also loved some more representation as far as POCs go, other than the random side character here and there. Just because a book is queer doesn’t mean that it is also diverse. Hopefully, Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date will make up for some of the issues I had with the last two books.
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