A review by emmas_bookshelf
The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Whoo, rating this book is actually really difficult with me because I love love loved the main character. She’s fat (and seems to have accepted her body or is at least body neutral), she’s in grad school, and a million more little similarities that I’m not going to detail here, but trust me, I felt everything she felt so deeply. I also repeatedly asked myself why didn’t I read this damn book sooner!
That said, I hateddddd the love interest. The two of them dated in college, broke up, and are now in a second chance romance but also enemies to lovers situation in graduate school. I found both the recollections of Colin 1.0 to be trash as well as Colin 2.0 to be trash, and while he had a ‘redemption arc’ of sorts, I didn’t think he actually improved and was still hella awful.
All that said, I did like the book, and it gave me a lot to think about. I definitely look forward to more titles from this author.
That said, I hateddddd the love interest. The two of them dated in college, broke up, and are now in a second chance romance but also enemies to lovers situation in graduate school. I found both the recollections of Colin 1.0 to be trash as well as Colin 2.0 to be trash, and while he had a ‘redemption arc’ of sorts, I didn’t think he actually improved and was still hella awful.
All that said, I did like the book, and it gave me a lot to think about. I definitely look forward to more titles from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, and Death of parent