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pause_theframe's review
5.0
Being an avid mountain biker myself, I couldn’t wait to dive right into this book. It sounded as though it was going to be a real coming of age, discover yourself sort f read, and it was just that, with a little more. I loved every page, and really feel the author did well to capture a lot of the issues and challenges that people deal with, as they learn and grow, particularly as teens in secondary school, but it really is the same for any age.
Mike is a really wonderful character. She is trying to find herself in an ever growing world, filled with more and more pressure, on her, to become what everyone wants and expects her to. She starts to see things a new way, and wonders if the doors just might be opening, giving her a chance to become the person she wants to be, rather than everyone else, but she has to make the decision if she want to try to fit the mould or if she would rather create her own.
As we get to know her, we find out more about her style and true personality. It does make you dislike her current (and also ex) boyfriend, after she has decided to get back together with him. Well, at least it did me. He is rather suffocating, and is one of the many people who have expectations for her. As she meets a new set of mates, she finds joy in both having new friends and in a new hobby, both of which were fun to really see her find her way through, as she enjoys both.
Overall, this little read is one that will have any reader feeling like they understand what she is going through, hoping for the best and really loving Mike and her attempt to find her way.
Mike is a really wonderful character. She is trying to find herself in an ever growing world, filled with more and more pressure, on her, to become what everyone wants and expects her to. She starts to see things a new way, and wonders if the doors just might be opening, giving her a chance to become the person she wants to be, rather than everyone else, but she has to make the decision if she want to try to fit the mould or if she would rather create her own.
As we get to know her, we find out more about her style and true personality. It does make you dislike her current (and also ex) boyfriend, after she has decided to get back together with him. Well, at least it did me. He is rather suffocating, and is one of the many people who have expectations for her. As she meets a new set of mates, she finds joy in both having new friends and in a new hobby, both of which were fun to really see her find her way through, as she enjoys both.
Overall, this little read is one that will have any reader feeling like they understand what she is going through, hoping for the best and really loving Mike and her attempt to find her way.
theresajs's review
5.0
I enjoyed this book so much!!! I used to ride my bike all the time on trails and this brought back so many great memories! (also made me realize how much I miss riding with my friends!)
Mike is great!! I loved how she kept challenging herself and even as her confidence grew, she still had a lot of insecurities - that overcoming one thing didn't magically fix everything else. So many stories play into that trope and this one does not.
Watching Mike grow and learn about herself as she entered her junior year with things so different than what she was used to felt so real. I think that is one of the things I liked most about this book - it just felt real - that if I were to walk into a high school today, I'd meet kids like Mike and her friends, hear conversations like they had.
If you are looking for a great YA contemporary that has real characters, is a 'happily ever after' but also realistic, this is for you! Plus there is mountain biking - something you rarely come across in stories!
Mike is great!! I loved how she kept challenging herself and even as her confidence grew, she still had a lot of insecurities - that overcoming one thing didn't magically fix everything else. So many stories play into that trope and this one does not.
Watching Mike grow and learn about herself as she entered her junior year with things so different than what she was used to felt so real. I think that is one of the things I liked most about this book - it just felt real - that if I were to walk into a high school today, I'd meet kids like Mike and her friends, hear conversations like they had.
If you are looking for a great YA contemporary that has real characters, is a 'happily ever after' but also realistic, this is for you! Plus there is mountain biking - something you rarely come across in stories!
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