catherine!!

catherine!!this took years off my life

catherine!!a lot of this was just a bit too ridiculous for me. the dialogue didn't feel as authentic as i would have liked. and scottie annoyed the heck out of me for a good portion of this. my only saving grace was irene. a whole extra star for irene.

catherine!!this was a super cute first volume!! i really enjoyed the romance between sébastien and elia as well as the one blooming between veronique and drew. also the casual aspec rep nearly brought me to tears.

catherine!!i ADORED the first half of this, so much that i was sure i would give it five stars. the second half is where it fell apart for me. there was a lot explored that didn't feel wrapped up, and the abrupt, bittersweet ending took me by surprise. i also didn't appreciate how mandy's redemption arc? if you could call it that? was handled. not a fan of the bullying-because-i-like-you storyline. honestly i would love a continuation of this to see plotlines carried out. i would love to see leighton and dylan grow more so that the story can end in a better place for their friendship.

catherine!!i love a man obsessed

catherine!!well that was crazy

catherine!!i only wish it were longer

catherine!!i really really loved this. the characters and their relationships felt so genuine, and i so appreciated all of the conversations (general queer/political discourse) they had throughout the book.

catherine!!this book tried to kill me. it is an emotional roller coaster. it made me uncomfortable to the point where i needed to take breaks from reading, i got so frustrated with the characters that i wanted to yell at them, i smiled from how cute it is, and i cried upwards of a dozen times. read at your own risk.

catherine!!i read this so many times as a kid that on this reread, every other line brought a wave of nostalgia. but i'd forgotten how easy percy is to love. he's so brave and loyal and kind always. what a wonderful protagonist for young people to follow and look up to. i'm newly grateful that i had these books in my childhood. they are truly excellent.