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bookcaptivated's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia
Minor: Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Biphobia, Transphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
psistillreadyou's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Biphobia and Racism
Minor: Transphobia
imstephtacular's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Misogyny
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Outing, Racism, Cursing, Classism, Bullying, Alcohol, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Biphobia
atomicbritt's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia
melaschnie's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Acephobia/Arophobia
lettuce_read's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Biphobia and Bullying
Minor: Toxic relationship
turtlebrainlibrarian's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A wonderful platonic love story that is heartwarming and makes you reflect. I enjoyed the two perspectives of Jo and Sophie, the banter that their feud started out as, the building of the relationships and that each character had their own things going on and were not just a prop for the main characters.
We have found family in this book, which is my favorite book trope and I loved how it was done here!
Being a-spec myself, I found the conversations around being aro-ace validating, well said and gave me things to think about. The struggle with parents understanding hit close to home.
I enjoyed seeing references to books and other media that I could pinpoint and the challenge of finding the ones I did not know. Plus, a new song to add to my playlist!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia
bea__reads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was so good.
I have a lot of thoughts but mostly I'm just so glad this book exists. I needed it 10+ years ago, but it's healed a part of me all the same.
This is a hilarious & heartwarming story about the college experience. No lovers, just enemies and friends (at the same time).
This is also the story of two people experiencing aroace joy while navigating a world that doesn't always make sense to them.
We see through Jo and Sophie that platonic love is just as strong and just as important as romantic love. We see a vision of a future that makes room for a-spec people, one that I hope comes to be understood and accepted more broadly by society soon.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is ace, aro, aroace, anywhere on those spectrums, as well as literally everyone else who exists!
🧡💛🤍🩵💙
I have a lot of thoughts but mostly I'm just so glad this book exists. I needed it 10+ years ago, but it's healed a part of me all the same.
This is a hilarious & heartwarming story about the college experience. No lovers, just enemies and friends (at the same time).
This is also the story of two people experiencing aroace joy while navigating a world that doesn't always make sense to them.
We see through Jo and Sophie that platonic love is just as strong and just as important as romantic love. We see a vision of a future that makes room for a-spec people, one that I hope comes to be understood and accepted more broadly by society soon.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is ace, aro, aroace, anywhere on those spectrums, as well as literally everyone else who exists!
🧡💛🤍🩵💙
Content Warnings
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia
dananana's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
this reminded me so vividly of my days at my own small liberal arts college, when I was still discovering my aroace identity and bonding with my soon-to-be best friend over all these gay and ace and nerdy (love u margaret!!)
also, so many of the references were just TOO fuckin real, from geeking out of Loveless by Alice Oseman, relating a little too hard to That Scene in Little Women, and finding comfort in movies like The Half of It. Ann Zhao did such an excellent job of capturing these specific aspects of ace culture and life 💚💜
also, so many of the references were just TOO fuckin real, from geeking out of Loveless by Alice Oseman, relating a little too hard to That Scene in Little Women, and finding comfort in movies like The Half of It. Ann Zhao did such an excellent job of capturing these specific aspects of ace culture and life 💚💜
Content Warnings
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia
goldenelegy's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
im so excited because WOW finally another aroace book!! it's a story set in a wellesley college (i just learned this college actually exist irl wow) about two aroace students navigating their friendships—and the dear wanda-wendy accounts they're managing. if you're looking for aroace books or YA that doesn't center around romance, this is it!!
as an ace person i relate so much to so many things in this book i almost highlight the entire book. what i find the most reassuring is when sophie tells jo that it's okay to question a lot about your asexuality and/or aromanticity. i do also relate to the struggle of making and keeping friends. the fear of being trapped in a one-sided friendship, being left-out, friendship breakups, i feel like these happen a lot but not talked about enough.
i really like dear wendy's answers to the questions she gets. they're so well-structured. dear wanda though, is such a balance with their unserious answers. but then when the two starts arguing, i just don't feel the enemies tension (in entirely platonic way, don't get me wrong). i like it better when they stop the fight (of course??)
overall, this is an enjoyable read, though it's not something that i would give five stars. still, i love the humor and the relatable portrayal <3
as an ace person i relate so much to so many things in this book i almost highlight the entire book. what i find the most reassuring is when sophie tells jo that it's okay to question a lot about your asexuality and/or aromanticity. i do also relate to the struggle of making and keeping friends. the fear of being trapped in a one-sided friendship, being left-out, friendship breakups, i feel like these happen a lot but not talked about enough.
i really like dear wendy's answers to the questions she gets. they're so well-structured. dear wanda though, is such a balance with their unserious answers. but then when the two starts arguing, i just don't feel the enemies tension (in entirely platonic way, don't get me wrong). i like it better when they stop the fight (of course??)
overall, this is an enjoyable read, though it's not something that i would give five stars. still, i love the humor and the relatable portrayal <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Toxic relationship