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lastblossom's reviews
200 reviews
Turns Out My Online Friend is My Real-Life Boss! Volume 1 by Nmura
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
A very sweet read for anyone who likes their romcoms with an endearing lead and a ton of misunderstandings.
Thoughts
I've never been a fan of miscommunication in romance, but I sure do love it in comedy. Thankfully, this romantic comedy leans more towards comedy with the misunderstandings (which are numerous), making this a very silly read for anyone looking for something light. Hashimoto's an average salaryman, chipping away his days doing basically okay work at his office job, and straining under the pressure of his strict (and unfairly attractive) boss. But at least he can relax online playing MMOs with his friend Uma, who is always a supportive listening ear. They eventually decide to meet up IRL after discovering they live nearby, and Hashimoto is devastated to discover that his best friend online Uma is none other than his demanding boss. The boss Shirase is less devastated, possibly because he might already be developing feelings. Too bad Hashimoto hasn't quite caught on. What follows is a series of sweet interactions, a heap of misunderstandings, and a romance triangle with a third player as our leads attempt to navigate their interactions and their feelings. The jokes land pretty well - there's one panel in particular of Hashimoto and Shirase sitting next to each other that made me laugh out loud. No spice, but the interactions are undeniably romantic, which makes this a very pleasant read with attractive artwork, and more that one relatable entanglement.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
A very sweet read for anyone who likes their romcoms with an endearing lead and a ton of misunderstandings.
Thoughts
I've never been a fan of miscommunication in romance, but I sure do love it in comedy. Thankfully, this romantic comedy leans more towards comedy with the misunderstandings (which are numerous), making this a very silly read for anyone looking for something light. Hashimoto's an average salaryman, chipping away his days doing basically okay work at his office job, and straining under the pressure of his strict (and unfairly attractive) boss. But at least he can relax online playing MMOs with his friend Uma, who is always a supportive listening ear. They eventually decide to meet up IRL after discovering they live nearby, and Hashimoto is devastated to discover that his best friend online Uma is none other than his demanding boss. The boss Shirase is less devastated, possibly because he might already be developing feelings. Too bad Hashimoto hasn't quite caught on. What follows is a series of sweet interactions, a heap of misunderstandings, and a romance triangle with a third player as our leads attempt to navigate their interactions and their feelings. The jokes land pretty well - there's one panel in particular of Hashimoto and Shirase sitting next to each other that made me laugh out loud. No spice, but the interactions are undeniably romantic, which makes this a very pleasant read with attractive artwork, and more that one relatable entanglement.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol
Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
Strong (possibly better?) follow-up to the first book (although first book knowledge not necessary), with more signature meta-commentary, twists, and a solid mystery.
Thoughts
Ernest Cunningham is back, once again tripping over unfortunate circumstances and the corpses that come with them. In a role reversal from the previous book, Ernest is now one of many murder mystery authors, and probably the least qualified of the bunch, but he brings back his signature self-aware writing style and collection of adverbs to sassily, wittily, and sometimes accidentally, uncover a murderer. I previously enjoyed the energy and style of the first book. The sequel doubles down on that mood - heaping on the meta commentary about the "fair play" mystery. If you liked it the first time around, you'll like it this time too, probably even more. One bit of meta foreshadowing in particular, is extremely effective in its blatant-ness, and I applaud the author for leaning into it. Combine that with a blunt but honest look at The Industry, and you've got another fun mystery on your hands. If I had any complaints, they would be the same as the first. Ernest remains entirely un-earnest, with high emotional walls that make it difficult for a reader to care about him or the stakes involved. Two books in, it's clear this is purposeful, but it can have an alienating effect, and I can totally see this not being everyone's cup of tea. If you liked the first book, jump on it! If you haven't read the first book, but this sounds interesting, there aren't any major spoilers, and you can start here if you like.
Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Strong (possibly better?) follow-up to the first book (although first book knowledge not necessary), with more signature meta-commentary, twists, and a solid mystery.
Thoughts
Ernest Cunningham is back, once again tripping over unfortunate circumstances and the corpses that come with them. In a role reversal from the previous book, Ernest is now one of many murder mystery authors, and probably the least qualified of the bunch, but he brings back his signature self-aware writing style and collection of adverbs to sassily, wittily, and sometimes accidentally, uncover a murderer. I previously enjoyed the energy and style of the first book. The sequel doubles down on that mood - heaping on the meta commentary about the "fair play" mystery. If you liked it the first time around, you'll like it this time too, probably even more. One bit of meta foreshadowing in particular, is extremely effective in its blatant-ness, and I applaud the author for leaning into it. Combine that with a blunt but honest look at The Industry, and you've got another fun mystery on your hands. If I had any complaints, they would be the same as the first. Ernest remains entirely un-earnest, with high emotional walls that make it difficult for a reader to care about him or the stakes involved. Two books in, it's clear this is purposeful, but it can have an alienating effect, and I can totally see this not being everyone's cup of tea. If you liked the first book, jump on it! If you haven't read the first book, but this sounds interesting, there aren't any major spoilers, and you can start here if you like.
Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, and Alcohol
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
Well-paced with some cool world-building and exciting twists, but has a bit of genre whiplash part way through.
Thoughts
This feels like two books stitched into one. The front half of the book has all of the vibes of a gothic romance: a young woman moves into an ancient opulent house, finds her husband-to-be cold and standoffish, and soon sees strange things out of the corner of her eye that everyone else insists aren't real. The deeper she digs, the more sinister things become, until her reality is shattered. And then suddenly we're in the second half of the book: an epic, sweeping, Chinese fable filled with mythical creatures, dragon-riding, war, alchemy, court drama, and a big prophecy. I'm not entirely sure what to make of it. I enjoyed both parts on their own. The portion where Ying first visits the mirror world is especially well-written, with a creeping unease and some really unique world building that I loved. There are some big fight pieces and twists in the second half that are also a lot of fun. It's just a strange combination taking the two of them in together. For all that, I still think it's paced out well enough as one book, so I'm glad the author didn't try to stretch it into two. A fast-paced read for anyone who likes their big action mythology paired with just a touch of horror.
Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.
Well-paced with some cool world-building and exciting twists, but has a bit of genre whiplash part way through.
Thoughts
This feels like two books stitched into one. The front half of the book has all of the vibes of a gothic romance: a young woman moves into an ancient opulent house, finds her husband-to-be cold and standoffish, and soon sees strange things out of the corner of her eye that everyone else insists aren't real. The deeper she digs, the more sinister things become, until her reality is shattered. And then suddenly we're in the second half of the book: an epic, sweeping, Chinese fable filled with mythical creatures, dragon-riding, war, alchemy, court drama, and a big prophecy. I'm not entirely sure what to make of it. I enjoyed both parts on their own. The portion where Ying first visits the mirror world is especially well-written, with a creeping unease and some really unique world building that I loved. There are some big fight pieces and twists in the second half that are also a lot of fun. It's just a strange combination taking the two of them in together. For all that, I still think it's paced out well enough as one book, so I'm glad the author didn't try to stretch it into two. A fast-paced read for anyone who likes their big action mythology paired with just a touch of horror.
Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Death
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content
Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu Volume 2 by Natsuya Semikawa
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
tl;dr
Characters and places from the first volume get fleshed out more, while retaining the pleasant low-drama story.
Thoughts
I called the first volume of this manga comfort food, and the second one follows in the same vein. Food illustrations remain a strong point, although I'd also like to call attention to how well the artist draws hands holding chopsticks. The chapters remain short, sweet, and digestible, with a mix of warmth and humor. The chapter about squid has an ending you can see coming from a mile away, and it still winds up being hilarious. But beyond the disconnected vignettes of vol. 1, we also see stories about recurring characters unfold. Characters have lives and dreams, and sometimes those lives intersect with others at a charming (and supernatural) izakaya. The introduction of a new staff member is a great decision - she's charming and determined, and the chapter where she visits "the other side" was especially fun. If you enjoyed the first one at all, this will charm and warm you just as much, if not more.
Thanks to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Characters and places from the first volume get fleshed out more, while retaining the pleasant low-drama story.
Thoughts
I called the first volume of this manga comfort food, and the second one follows in the same vein. Food illustrations remain a strong point, although I'd also like to call attention to how well the artist draws hands holding chopsticks. The chapters remain short, sweet, and digestible, with a mix of warmth and humor. The chapter about squid has an ending you can see coming from a mile away, and it still winds up being hilarious. But beyond the disconnected vignettes of vol. 1, we also see stories about recurring characters unfold. Characters have lives and dreams, and sometimes those lives intersect with others at a charming (and supernatural) izakaya. The introduction of a new staff member is a great decision - she's charming and determined, and the chapter where she visits "the other side" was especially fun. If you enjoyed the first one at all, this will charm and warm you just as much, if not more.
Thanks to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, War, and Classism
Zodiac Rising by Katie Zhao
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
A super packed novel filled with an intriguing ensemble cast, tons of world mythology, and so many plot twists.
Thoughts
A lot of heist stories are secretly about grief. This one is, instead, overtly about grief, along with identity and living in the diaspora. It's an absolute panoply of the supernatural: Chinese mythology sits at the center, but we've also got vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, the fae, and... more??? It all clicks in better than one would expect, as the varied supernatural elements mirror the world our leads live in. It's a mix of culture and history, and the characters all struggle to find their place in it. It's probably the most relatable part of the story. The less relatable part for me is all the messy romance drama. I'm aware this is a me problem. I've never done well with high drama romances, but if that's your thing, I think you'll be delighted. We've got hot exes, a love triangle, and secrets galore, all set on a dark academia background. Add in extra plot twists, betrayal, and prophecies for a fast-paced story that covers a lot of ground in a short amount of time.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
A super packed novel filled with an intriguing ensemble cast, tons of world mythology, and so many plot twists.
Thoughts
A lot of heist stories are secretly about grief. This one is, instead, overtly about grief, along with identity and living in the diaspora. It's an absolute panoply of the supernatural: Chinese mythology sits at the center, but we've also got vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, the fae, and... more??? It all clicks in better than one would expect, as the varied supernatural elements mirror the world our leads live in. It's a mix of culture and history, and the characters all struggle to find their place in it. It's probably the most relatable part of the story. The less relatable part for me is all the messy romance drama. I'm aware this is a me problem. I've never done well with high drama romances, but if that's your thing, I think you'll be delighted. We've got hot exes, a love triangle, and secrets galore, all set on a dark academia background. Add in extra plot twists, betrayal, and prophecies for a fast-paced story that covers a lot of ground in a short amount of time.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Blood
Amir and the Jinn Princess by Maeeda Tariq Khan
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
Two perfectly paired leads take on a series of creative challenges for a read that's super fun.
Thoughts
I love a middle grade book with a clever lead who relies on their wits. It's such a treat that this one has two. Amir is a manipulative genius with a morally gray worldview, and Shamsa is a capricious trickster with a heart of gold. They fit together perfectly as they work together to overcome a series of increasingly tricky tests. I really love the fact that the nature of the tests is varied - everything from physical prowess to poetic nuance shows up, and it was great to see their creativity as they worked together. Amir's personal journey is also a really strong through-line, as he grows from disaffected teen to being fully invested in being involved in the world and its people. The writing is super clean and flows easily, and the character voices all come across as distinct. Overall and incredibly fun read with some great characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Two perfectly paired leads take on a series of creative challenges for a read that's super fun.
Thoughts
I love a middle grade book with a clever lead who relies on their wits. It's such a treat that this one has two. Amir is a manipulative genius with a morally gray worldview, and Shamsa is a capricious trickster with a heart of gold. They fit together perfectly as they work together to overcome a series of increasingly tricky tests. I really love the fact that the nature of the tests is varied - everything from physical prowess to poetic nuance shows up, and it was great to see their creativity as they worked together. Amir's personal journey is also a really strong through-line, as he grows from disaffected teen to being fully invested in being involved in the world and its people. The writing is super clean and flows easily, and the character voices all come across as distinct. Overall and incredibly fun read with some great characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Miss Miyazen Would Love to Get Closer to You, Vol. 1 by Akitaka
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
A warm high school romance with low stakes and endearing leads.
Thoughts
Do you love a cute story about blushing leads and mutual pining with just a dash of misunderstanding? Miss Miyazen has got you covered! On the surface, Sakura and Sota would appear to have nothing in common. She's "proper," and he's a "troublemaker." But the truth is they're both just a couple of sweet kids trying to get to know each other. It's an incredibly charming and low drama romance. There's little plot to be seen so far, with the story being largely a set of vignettes about their ongoing attempts (and failures) at trying to get closer. Misunderstandings are in the cute range rather than the frustrating one, punctuated with clean and incredibly cute artwork. If you're looking for a cute high school romance that'll make you feel warm inside, give this one a go.
Thanks to NetGalley and Vertical Comics for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
A warm high school romance with low stakes and endearing leads.
Thoughts
Do you love a cute story about blushing leads and mutual pining with just a dash of misunderstanding? Miss Miyazen has got you covered! On the surface, Sakura and Sota would appear to have nothing in common. She's "proper," and he's a "troublemaker." But the truth is they're both just a couple of sweet kids trying to get to know each other. It's an incredibly charming and low drama romance. There's little plot to be seen so far, with the story being largely a set of vignettes about their ongoing attempts (and failures) at trying to get closer. Misunderstandings are in the cute range rather than the frustrating one, punctuated with clean and incredibly cute artwork. If you're looking for a cute high school romance that'll make you feel warm inside, give this one a go.
Thanks to NetGalley and Vertical Comics for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
The Mummy of Mayfair by Jeri Westerson
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
tl;dr
A fun mystery that builds on all the promise of the first book, while also forging new ground for two budding detectives.
Thoughts
Timothy Badger and Benjamin Watson are back. This time, they've been hired for a simple job - protect a few Egyptian artifacts from going missing during a fancy party. But when one of the hosts turns up dead, it's up to them to discover if the killer is the curse of the mummy, or something closer to home. I was incredibly neutral about the first book, but it showed enough promise that I wanted to give the second one a go. Well, here we are a year later, and sure enough, that promise is fulfilled. This one reads a lot better! My biggest hangup with the first book was that it seemed very little detective work was happening. Our charming heroes were simply lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to overhear all the big reveals. This time around, they are fully in it - collecting clues, following leads, interviewing suspects, and unraveling the mystery by their own wits and deductions. They spend a lot of time discussing the "method," the manner in which Sherlock seems to magically conjure up solutions. It's always been a bit of sleight of hand in the canon: hidden clues, conclusions a reader couldn't possibly hope to obtain, and solutions featuring players hidden from view until the last minute. This book diverges from the Conan Doyle formula for the better, giving us all the same information our heroes get so we can solve along with the boys. The book also diverges from the canon by including a Very Victorian romance, replete with longing gazes, wistful sighs, and the constant reminder that these characters come from different classes. The historical setting is well-researched, with plenty of immersive details and flourishes. Overall it's a very strong historical mystery, and I look forward to the next one with great anticipation.
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
A fun mystery that builds on all the promise of the first book, while also forging new ground for two budding detectives.
Thoughts
Timothy Badger and Benjamin Watson are back. This time, they've been hired for a simple job - protect a few Egyptian artifacts from going missing during a fancy party. But when one of the hosts turns up dead, it's up to them to discover if the killer is the curse of the mummy, or something closer to home. I was incredibly neutral about the first book, but it showed enough promise that I wanted to give the second one a go. Well, here we are a year later, and sure enough, that promise is fulfilled. This one reads a lot better! My biggest hangup with the first book was that it seemed very little detective work was happening. Our charming heroes were simply lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to overhear all the big reveals. This time around, they are fully in it - collecting clues, following leads, interviewing suspects, and unraveling the mystery by their own wits and deductions. They spend a lot of time discussing the "method," the manner in which Sherlock seems to magically conjure up solutions. It's always been a bit of sleight of hand in the canon: hidden clues, conclusions a reader couldn't possibly hope to obtain, and solutions featuring players hidden from view until the last minute. This book diverges from the Conan Doyle formula for the better, giving us all the same information our heroes get so we can solve along with the boys. The book also diverges from the canon by including a Very Victorian romance, replete with longing gazes, wistful sighs, and the constant reminder that these characters come from different classes. The historical setting is well-researched, with plenty of immersive details and flourishes. Overall it's a very strong historical mystery, and I look forward to the next one with great anticipation.
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Gun violence, and Violence
Play of Shadows by Sebastien de Castell
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
Plenty of world building supports a layered story about a normal guy caught up in a political game much bigger than him.
Thoughts
Damelas isn't a hero - he just plays one onstage. Scratch that, he's a bit player and he can barely even get that part right. But he and the ragtag band of actors he hangs out with are immediately sympathetic, very messy, and if you've ever seen a group of actors together, you'll recognize every player in the text here. Ostensibly a story about one man and his quest to not get skewered by a particularly vengeful duelist, the past layers (literally and figuratively) onto Damelas' world, tying the efforts of his small acting troupe into a much larger power struggle. There's a lot to keep up with, and the first half of the book takes a little bit of time to set up all the pieces before setting everything in motion. The back half moves at a much quicker pace, with some big reveals at the end that set up the rest of the series admirably. I've not read the original Greatcoats series, but this new series introduces the world without any confusion The world building is very strong from the getgo, with a heavy emphasis on the history and politics of the world. And oh, how much of it there is! If you like political machinations and surprise reveals punctuated with some really well-written swordplay, this one's for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and Arcadia for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Plenty of world building supports a layered story about a normal guy caught up in a political game much bigger than him.
Thoughts
Damelas isn't a hero - he just plays one onstage. Scratch that, he's a bit player and he can barely even get that part right. But he and the ragtag band of actors he hangs out with are immediately sympathetic, very messy, and if you've ever seen a group of actors together, you'll recognize every player in the text here. Ostensibly a story about one man and his quest to not get skewered by a particularly vengeful duelist, the past layers (literally and figuratively) onto Damelas' world, tying the efforts of his small acting troupe into a much larger power struggle. There's a lot to keep up with, and the first half of the book takes a little bit of time to set up all the pieces before setting everything in motion. The back half moves at a much quicker pace, with some big reveals at the end that set up the rest of the series admirably. I've not read the original Greatcoats series, but this new series introduces the world without any confusion The world building is very strong from the getgo, with a heavy emphasis on the history and politics of the world. And oh, how much of it there is! If you like political machinations and surprise reveals punctuated with some really well-written swordplay, this one's for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and Arcadia for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Vomit, Murder, and War
Minor: Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Heiress Takes All by Austin Siegemund-Broka, Emily Wibberley
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
A fast-paced heist plot stitched into a lot of complicated family drama.
Thoughts
If you like your heists with a side of ~drama~, this one's for you. We've got messy parental relationships, squabbling extended family, blackmail, and dash of a love triangle to round it all out. Olivia Owens used to live a life of luxury - full of money, and devoid of meaning. This all changes when her mother divorces her cheating father, and she's left hanging in in the void between them. Kicked out of her family home, and with a mother struggling to make end's meet, she decides to get revenge by stealing millions of dollars from her father, all in the middle of his wedding to his third wife. She cobbles together a group of skilled teens (and one out-of-luck teacher) for her crew, puts together a very serviceable plan, and gets to work. The crew members are all fun and well-written with strong personalities and reasons of their own to be in this caper. I always like the actor character, so Tom is my instant fave, but they're all great. So great that Olivia somehow winds up being the one with the least to go on. She describes herself as determined, but all flashbacks portray her as somewhat directionless, with no clear path to how she became who she is. She researches thoroughly, masterminds a plan, and then doesn't include any fallbacks or contingencies for the complications that inevitably arise. Her motivations never fully hit sympathetically relatable, or ruthlessly entertaining, hovering somewhere between the two. She spends a lot of time pretending to be the girl the tabloids expect her to be, and very little being herself. I can't tell who she really is at all. Maybe she can't either. The book ends as a fairly comfortable oneshot. The door's open just enough that a sequel could happen, but the ending is satisfying enough that it doesn't need more.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
A fast-paced heist plot stitched into a lot of complicated family drama.
Thoughts
If you like your heists with a side of ~drama~, this one's for you. We've got messy parental relationships, squabbling extended family, blackmail, and dash of a love triangle to round it all out. Olivia Owens used to live a life of luxury - full of money, and devoid of meaning. This all changes when her mother divorces her cheating father, and she's left hanging in in the void between them. Kicked out of her family home, and with a mother struggling to make end's meet, she decides to get revenge by stealing millions of dollars from her father, all in the middle of his wedding to his third wife. She cobbles together a group of skilled teens (and one out-of-luck teacher) for her crew, puts together a very serviceable plan, and gets to work. The crew members are all fun and well-written with strong personalities and reasons of their own to be in this caper. I always like the actor character, so Tom is my instant fave, but they're all great. So great that Olivia somehow winds up being the one with the least to go on. She describes herself as determined, but all flashbacks portray her as somewhat directionless, with no clear path to how she became who she is. She researches thoroughly, masterminds a plan, and then doesn't include any fallbacks or contingencies for the complications that inevitably arise. Her motivations never fully hit sympathetically relatable, or ruthlessly entertaining, hovering somewhere between the two. She spends a lot of time pretending to be the girl the tabloids expect her to be, and very little being herself. I can't tell who she really is at all. Maybe she can't either. The book ends as a fairly comfortable oneshot. The door's open just enough that a sequel could happen, but the ending is satisfying enough that it doesn't need more.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Medical content, Car accident, and Alcohol