A review by sprucewillow
Tell Me Three Things, by Julie Buxbaum
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
The idea behind this was cute. The mysterious secret text admirer was what kept me reading.
I enjoyed the story for the most part but the writing ruined it for me. The characters were not realistically written like early highschool-age teens. Reading the dialogue was awkward and cringey, and the internal monologue of the protagonist was as well. That, and a few times in the book there was an uncomfortable description of the protag's sexuality/body that felt really out of place. Topics regarding sex and sexuality are of course topics that can and should be accessible in YA books, but the instances it was used in this book felt objectifying and needless.
I enjoyed the story for the most part but the writing ruined it for me. The characters were not realistically written like early highschool-age teens. Reading the dialogue was awkward and cringey, and the internal monologue of the protagonist was as well. That, and a few times in the book there was an uncomfortable description of the protag's sexuality/body that felt really out of place. Topics regarding sex and sexuality are of course topics that can and should be accessible in YA books, but the instances it was used in this book felt objectifying and needless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Vomit, Alcohol, and Drug use
Minor: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Sexual content, Self harm, and Drug abuse