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ennitsud's review against another edition
4.0
the first half of this book felt realistic-realistic in that i sort of related? when i was a teen i was a (comparably) better student than i am now. and i related in that way to victoria, but there was just some dull moments for me in the beginning. i guess it's partly on me, though, because i wasn't really in the mood for this type of story.
summary points:
- strand was very charming
- the chemistry between strand and victoria was cute
- krina and [insert name!!] v v v cute!!
- i felt bad for levi throughout (altho both parties were dicks in this situation)
- the family relationship was cute!
summary points:
- strand was very charming
- the chemistry between strand and victoria was cute
- krina and [insert name!!] v v v cute!!
- i felt bad for levi throughout (altho both parties were dicks in this situation)
- the family relationship was cute!
torithelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
4.5. I loved this book. Aside from the predictability of the “who does my best friend have a crush on” bit towards the end, this book really didn’t miss a beat for me. (Beat, get it? Because the book is about music.) I love that I picked this book up because my name was on it and ended up recommending it to all my students because gosh it’s delightful.
raeanne's review against another edition
5.0
Reasons To Read The Victoria In My Head:
- Victoria is relatable, studious, rocker trapped behind anxiety and familial pressure. She's on track for Harvard. Has playlists for every event, occasion, and fantasy.
- Her BFF Annie is much the same, wants a change from the same old routine but has to push Victoria to do it for herself and progresses on her own path.
- You know how in Disney, there's always a shot of the guy falling for the girl? Well, here we get it from the Victoria's perspective. But she doesn't let looks overrule her common sense. I was so proud of her!!
- Victoria doesn't like Strand the playboy or let him slide and calls him out on his BS. That's my girl!
- Love how the romance plays out and ends in unexpected ways. Very understandable, confused with growing pains, but wonderful maturity and resolution. Perfect way to go out.
- Great honest worries and concerns about body image, dating, hooking up, and keeping up with your peers. Rumors and assumptions play a big role with a side plot with another bandmate and I love how it's all dealt with.
- Underage drinking and sneaking out. Okay, that sounds bad, but it happens. They do things responsibly. It's not the end of the world. And it's not preachy after school special either. Such a turnoff for kids.
- FUNNY! Oh my lord. I'm the type that has to look away/turn away from second hand embarrassment, but this book just made me laugh and didn't turn my stomach with their antics. Cutlet.
- Rep included: Anxiety (Victoria), Daughter of Cuban Immigrants (Victoria), Eclectic Cast: Indian, Biracial, Asian, and only 1 white dude while the rest of the white people are in the background, Lesbian Couple.
- It's Latinx Heritage Month! Victoria has to be apart of her cousins Quince and gets closer with her male dance partner and they discuss the tradition. Find out more by reading it now!
The Victoria In My Head is perfect for YA contemp fans looking for an adorbs romantic-comedy especially if you'd like a coming of age story with intelligent prep school kids soon to be rocker stars.This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon
americangirlemmie's review against another edition
2.0
Okay, well. Huh, I just really don’t have much to say about this book. I didn’t dislike it, but there also just wasn’t much compelling about it. I just kind of… huh.
So, overall, the story was kind of wishy-washy. There wasn’t a super clear focus, and nothing was really well developed. For example, there was a really interesting plot like going on with the MC and her “original” love interest. There was a weird pressure going on between the two that spawned from insecurity, and it was one of those like super complex teenage issue things. Anyways, that plot line was pretty much… useless? Like, it honestly had nothing to do with the story overall. It had potential, but it was kind of just in there for a few chapters. Their relationship spanned the entire novel, but it didn’t develop the very real emotional manipulation/insecurity/etc. that was going on. There was also some very random explicit material that kind of came out of no where and was one random line that had little to do with the scene at all.
All in all, I feel like this story was wasted potential. Perhaps it was trying to deal with too many issues, or it just had too many plot lines in it. Honestly, the story was just full of undeveloped ideas that made it seem a little immature overall. I really wanted to like it, and I wouldn’t say I disliked it by any means. It was kind of just an eh book for me.
That being said, this book was an alright, easy read to pick up. If you can skip over a few (and, really, it was maybe half a dozen all together) sexual lines (not entirely explicit, but still worth being aware of), it was an easy read. It was quick, entertaining, and upbeat. Some of the issues discussed were very real to life, which is why I was disappointed they were not entirely dealt with. However, for a YA contemporary novel, it was alright.
So, overall, the story was kind of wishy-washy. There wasn’t a super clear focus, and nothing was really well developed. For example, there was a really interesting plot like going on with the MC and her “original” love interest. There was a weird pressure going on between the two that spawned from insecurity, and it was one of those like super complex teenage issue things. Anyways, that plot line was pretty much… useless? Like, it honestly had nothing to do with the story overall. It had potential, but it was kind of just in there for a few chapters. Their relationship spanned the entire novel, but it didn’t develop the very real emotional manipulation/insecurity/etc. that was going on. There was also some very random explicit material that kind of came out of no where and was one random line that had little to do with the scene at all.
All in all, I feel like this story was wasted potential. Perhaps it was trying to deal with too many issues, or it just had too many plot lines in it. Honestly, the story was just full of undeveloped ideas that made it seem a little immature overall. I really wanted to like it, and I wouldn’t say I disliked it by any means. It was kind of just an eh book for me.
That being said, this book was an alright, easy read to pick up. If you can skip over a few (and, really, it was maybe half a dozen all together) sexual lines (not entirely explicit, but still worth being aware of), it was an easy read. It was quick, entertaining, and upbeat. Some of the issues discussed were very real to life, which is why I was disappointed they were not entirely dealt with. However, for a YA contemporary novel, it was alright.
storytimed's review against another edition
2.0
Narrator never quite got the self-awareness that I wanted her to. The love triangle especially didn't make her come off well, since the novel decided to demonize the boring, blah boyfriend (to the point of all his friends taking Victoria's side!) instead of acknowledging that she was never actually into him & flirting with the other guy from the start. Even the conclusion dives back into a pat romantic resolution where the love interest sings to her rather than, you know, our protagonist being on stage, which was supposed to be the premise of the entire novel.
emilie_nasrallah's review against another edition
4.0
Reread:
Lowering my rating to 4 stars**
While I did enjoy the novel and flew through it, I found Victoria somewhat self-righteous. She makes it seem as though everything people do that isn't the way she does it is wrong and lame. For example, when she goes to Levi's house, she is constantly comparing her family life with his life.
I felt like the author was trying too hard to make us hate certain characters. Or maybe that's just how 15-year-olds think. I also didn't like how she sided with the guy and not her best friend at one point. I thought that was kind of sucky of her.
However, lucky me, I tend to be more of a plot person, so Victoria didn't stop me from really enjoying my time. The book flows well, the family dynamics are relatable and the voice of Victoria really shines through.
I do still recommend the book.
************************
4.75 stars******
This. book. was.so. ADORABLE!?!?!? It's been so long since I've actually shipped two characters together and longer even that I swooned and stayed up till 2 a.m. reading and actually spent some time in the day reading.
The beginning of the book is a bit cringey or I guess maybe it took me a while to put myself back in my 15 year old shoes (I'm 19 now and I always cringe looking back at when I was 15). Victoria is relatable and funny and feels very much real.
All the characters are developed and while some characters were painted more as the bad guys I understand that that's how Victoria paints them to be.
I took off a few points because I didn't like how the LGBTQ+ community was portrayed. Twice there were these "revelations" that certain characters were gay and I was like... it shouldn't be a big deal, like a thing that's like "omg I didn't see it coming!" I don't know how to properly express myself. I just wish the sexual orientation of people was less something that identified a person and that can be made of as a "plot twist." A girl likes a girl. Okay. Cool. It shouldn't be made into such a fuss.
Otherwise, I loved the writing and Strand is just goals and so many times I laughed out loud and I truly recommend this book ♥
Lowering my rating to 4 stars**
While I did enjoy the novel and flew through it, I found Victoria somewhat self-righteous. She makes it seem as though everything people do that isn't the way she does it is wrong and lame. For example, when she goes to Levi's house, she is constantly comparing her family life with his life.
I felt like the author was trying too hard to make us hate certain characters. Or maybe that's just how 15-year-olds think. I also didn't like how she sided with the guy and not her best friend at one point. I thought that was kind of sucky of her.
However, lucky me, I tend to be more of a plot person, so Victoria didn't stop me from really enjoying my time. The book flows well, the family dynamics are relatable and the voice of Victoria really shines through.
I do still recommend the book.
************************
4.75 stars******
This. book. was.so. ADORABLE!?!?!? It's been so long since I've actually shipped two characters together and longer even that I swooned and stayed up till 2 a.m. reading and actually spent some time in the day reading.
The beginning of the book is a bit cringey or I guess maybe it took me a while to put myself back in my 15 year old shoes (I'm 19 now and I always cringe looking back at when I was 15). Victoria is relatable and funny and feels very much real.
All the characters are developed and while some characters were painted more as the bad guys I understand that that's how Victoria paints them to be.
I took off a few points because I didn't like how the LGBTQ+ community was portrayed. Twice there were these "revelations" that certain characters were gay and I was like... it shouldn't be a big deal, like a thing that's like "omg I didn't see it coming!" I don't know how to properly express myself. I just wish the sexual orientation of people was less something that identified a person and that can be made of as a "plot twist." A girl likes a girl. Okay. Cool. It shouldn't be made into such a fuss.
Otherwise, I loved the writing and Strand is just goals and so many times I laughed out loud and I truly recommend this book ♥
akernelofnonsense's review against another edition
3.0
Janelle Milanes’s debut The Victoria in My Head is a feel-good contemporary with an easy-to-relate-to protagonist. Victoria Cruz doesn’t exactly live her life on the edge. As a scholarship student and the daughter of parents with Harvard aspirations, Victoria’s life is pretty much laid out for her. She’s good at going through the motions, of never taking a chance on anything, even if it’s something she really wants. When she gets the opportunity to audition for a rock band, Victoria isn’t sure she can overcome her stage fright in order to do so. Taking those first steps toward embracing her dreams won’t be the hardest decision she’ll have to make. Victoria will discover that finding her place in the world isn’t easy, and despite all the dissenting voices around her, only she can decide her own future.
The Victoria in My Head is an incredibly readable novel. I nearly finished it in one sitting, not because it went by particularly fast, but because I had to find out what happened next for the protagonist. Victoria is a really insecure character. She doesn’t readily share how she feels with other people and is more prone to imagining what her life could be like than actually taking steps to make these things happen. Her parents are Cuban immigrants who have sacrificed a lot in order to open doors for their daughter. They have grand ambitions that are constantly being reinforced by Victoria’s school and best friend. This added pressure is enough to get anyone to crumble, especially for someone who isn’t sure if her dreams are the same as those around her. Despite how it sometimes felt to Victoria, it’s clear that her parents only want what’s best and it’s their earnestness in wanting to be involved in her life that endeared them to me.
I loved the friendships in this novel. Victoria’s best friend Annie is incredibly driven and iat first it does feel like she isn’t quite hearing Victoria when she talks about what she wants in life, but it doesn’t take long to realize that Annie is an incredibly supportive friend. The budding friendship between Victoria and her new bandmates is also one of the highlights of this novel. They build a kind of family that looks out for one another and it was really nice to see the loyalty they show later on in the novel. I was a little iffy about the romance in this novel, but despite my first impression, I ended up really liking the person Victoria ends up with. It’s a relationship that grows overtime and felt earned because of all the hiccups along the way.
The Victoria in My Head is an important in that it’s a book written for teens still trying to find their own voice, who feel insecure in their own skin, or who grappling with the added pressure of parental expectations.
The Victoria in My Head is an incredibly readable novel. I nearly finished it in one sitting, not because it went by particularly fast, but because I had to find out what happened next for the protagonist. Victoria is a really insecure character. She doesn’t readily share how she feels with other people and is more prone to imagining what her life could be like than actually taking steps to make these things happen. Her parents are Cuban immigrants who have sacrificed a lot in order to open doors for their daughter. They have grand ambitions that are constantly being reinforced by Victoria’s school and best friend. This added pressure is enough to get anyone to crumble, especially for someone who isn’t sure if her dreams are the same as those around her. Despite how it sometimes felt to Victoria, it’s clear that her parents only want what’s best and it’s their earnestness in wanting to be involved in her life that endeared them to me.
I loved the friendships in this novel. Victoria’s best friend Annie is incredibly driven and iat first it does feel like she isn’t quite hearing Victoria when she talks about what she wants in life, but it doesn’t take long to realize that Annie is an incredibly supportive friend. The budding friendship between Victoria and her new bandmates is also one of the highlights of this novel. They build a kind of family that looks out for one another and it was really nice to see the loyalty they show later on in the novel. I was a little iffy about the romance in this novel, but despite my first impression, I ended up really liking the person Victoria ends up with. It’s a relationship that grows overtime and felt earned because of all the hiccups along the way.
The Victoria in My Head is an important in that it’s a book written for teens still trying to find their own voice, who feel insecure in their own skin, or who grappling with the added pressure of parental expectations.
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
When 15-year-old Victoria, a daughter of Cuban immigrants, decides to stray from her well-behaved, straight-laced life and join a band, she keeps it a secret from her parents. But...she can't keep it a secret for too long, since the lies start adding up.
A cute, fun, lighthearted romantic read about music, love, and learning to become your own person, rather than being the person you think you're meant to be. I loved that it's a younger teen protagonist a lot. The book ran a little bit long, but I think teen readers who love Vi will find no problem taking it all in, since it's well-paced and has a touch of humor to it.
A cute, fun, lighthearted romantic read about music, love, and learning to become your own person, rather than being the person you think you're meant to be. I loved that it's a younger teen protagonist a lot. The book ran a little bit long, but I think teen readers who love Vi will find no problem taking it all in, since it's well-paced and has a touch of humor to it.
emilie_karnas's review against another edition
4.0
Reread:
Lowering my rating to 4 stars**
While I did enjoy the novel and flew through it, I found Victoria somewhat self-righteous. She makes it seem as though everything people do that isn't the way she does it is wrong and lame. For example, when she goes to Levi's house, she is constantly comparing her family life with his life.
I felt like the author was trying too hard to make us hate certain characters. Or maybe that's just how 15-year-olds think. I also didn't like how she sided with the guy and not her best friend at one point. I thought that was kind of sucky of her.
However, lucky me, I tend to be more of a plot person, so Victoria didn't stop me from really enjoying my time. The book flows well, the family dynamics are relatable and the voice of Victoria really shines through.
I do still recommend the book.
************************
4.75 stars******
This. book. was.so. ADORABLE!?!?!? It's been so long since I've actually shipped two characters together and longer even that I swooned and stayed up till 2 a.m. reading and actually spent some time in the day reading.
The beginning of the book is a bit cringey or I guess maybe it took me a while to put myself back in my 15 year old shoes (I'm 19 now and I always cringe looking back at when I was 15). Victoria is relatable and funny and feels very much real.
All the characters are developed and while some characters were painted more as the bad guys I understand that that's how Victoria paints them to be.
I took off a few points because I didn't like how the LGBTQ+ community was portrayed. Twice there were these "revelations" that certain characters were gay and I was like... it shouldn't be a big deal, like a thing that's like "omg I didn't see it coming!" I don't know how to properly express myself. I just wish the sexual orientation of people was less something that identified a person and that can be made of as a "plot twist." A girl likes a girl. Okay. Cool. It shouldn't be made into such a fuss.
Otherwise, I loved the writing and Strand is just goals and so many times I laughed out loud and I truly recommend this book ♥
Lowering my rating to 4 stars**
While I did enjoy the novel and flew through it, I found Victoria somewhat self-righteous. She makes it seem as though everything people do that isn't the way she does it is wrong and lame. For example, when she goes to Levi's house, she is constantly comparing her family life with his life.
I felt like the author was trying too hard to make us hate certain characters. Or maybe that's just how 15-year-olds think. I also didn't like how she sided with the guy and not her best friend at one point. I thought that was kind of sucky of her.
However, lucky me, I tend to be more of a plot person, so Victoria didn't stop me from really enjoying my time. The book flows well, the family dynamics are relatable and the voice of Victoria really shines through.
I do still recommend the book.
************************
4.75 stars******
This. book. was.so. ADORABLE!?!?!? It's been so long since I've actually shipped two characters together and longer even that I swooned and stayed up till 2 a.m. reading and actually spent some time in the day reading.
The beginning of the book is a bit cringey or I guess maybe it took me a while to put myself back in my 15 year old shoes (I'm 19 now and I always cringe looking back at when I was 15). Victoria is relatable and funny and feels very much real.
All the characters are developed and while some characters were painted more as the bad guys I understand that that's how Victoria paints them to be.
I took off a few points because I didn't like how the LGBTQ+ community was portrayed. Twice there were these "revelations" that certain characters were gay and I was like... it shouldn't be a big deal, like a thing that's like "omg I didn't see it coming!" I don't know how to properly express myself. I just wish the sexual orientation of people was less something that identified a person and that can be made of as a "plot twist." A girl likes a girl. Okay. Cool. It shouldn't be made into such a fuss.
Otherwise, I loved the writing and Strand is just goals and so many times I laughed out loud and I truly recommend this book ♥
alisonjane's review against another edition
3.0
Victoria is an amazing, self-confident, charismatic rock star...in her mind, anyway. In real life, she's a bit shy, a bit self-conscious, maybe doesn't have the best experiences at school.
And then she has the chance to join a band. And she decides to take that chance...but keeps it a secret from her parents. Suddenly she's trying to live the life she's always pictured in her mind, but she's still got a problem, because the lies keep piling up.
I loved Victoria and her journey of self-discovery. Her experience in becoming a musician is fun to watch, and she has some great friendships in the book as well. This is definitely a book I would want on my library shelves, and would hand to kids who love music, love stories, and books about figuring out who you really are.
And then she has the chance to join a band. And she decides to take that chance...but keeps it a secret from her parents. Suddenly she's trying to live the life she's always pictured in her mind, but she's still got a problem, because the lies keep piling up.
I loved Victoria and her journey of self-discovery. Her experience in becoming a musician is fun to watch, and she has some great friendships in the book as well. This is definitely a book I would want on my library shelves, and would hand to kids who love music, love stories, and books about figuring out who you really are.