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kirstysbookishworld's review against another edition
4.0
“They leave a wake of smaller deaths behind them. Every dream, every memory bomb, every moment of happiness”
I loved this book. Not only did it have one of my favourite tropes (fake dating) but I genuinely fell in love with Analee and I understood her on a level I rarely connect with characters. Her grief was such a palpable thing, so consuming of her brain and her heart that she didn’t realise what she was putting out into the world.
The understanding of grief, specially a parental loss, really got to me. Losing my dad was hard but finding books that makes me feel understood and not so alone make it a little easier.
I loved Analee and the way she saw everything and what I loved about her POV was that you saw her as the caring, yet snippy girl, but from her POV all she saw was her misgivings, her flaws and it really goes to show the way you see yourself may not be the truth of it. Sometimes we need to be reminded that we’re worth the daily struggle. It really teaches you what anxiety and depression can do to you through even the simplest of moments in your life. It was done so effortlessly that I hardly noticed it.
Seb was an adorable sweetheart with real problems. I really hope the author continues his/their story, I’d love to know more about him. I loved the way he was with Analee, arguing with her to get her out of her shell, pushing her to do the things she’s afraid to do without being cruel about it.
My only issue with this book was that ending. I wanted a swoon worthy ending and although I understand why it ended the way it did, I was still slightly disappointed.
Overall my heart feels like it’s been through the ringer.
I loved this book. Not only did it have one of my favourite tropes (fake dating) but I genuinely fell in love with Analee and I understood her on a level I rarely connect with characters. Her grief was such a palpable thing, so consuming of her brain and her heart that she didn’t realise what she was putting out into the world.
The understanding of grief, specially a parental loss, really got to me. Losing my dad was hard but finding books that makes me feel understood and not so alone make it a little easier.
I loved Analee and the way she saw everything and what I loved about her POV was that you saw her as the caring, yet snippy girl, but from her POV all she saw was her misgivings, her flaws and it really goes to show the way you see yourself may not be the truth of it. Sometimes we need to be reminded that we’re worth the daily struggle. It really teaches you what anxiety and depression can do to you through even the simplest of moments in your life. It was done so effortlessly that I hardly noticed it.
Seb was an adorable sweetheart with real problems. I really hope the author continues his/their story, I’d love to know more about him. I loved the way he was with Analee, arguing with her to get her out of her shell, pushing her to do the things she’s afraid to do without being cruel about it.
My only issue with this book was that ending. I wanted a swoon worthy ending and although I understand why it ended the way it did, I was still slightly disappointed.
Overall my heart feels like it’s been through the ringer.
spiritedaway's review against another edition
3.0
As far as fake dating tropes go, I'd put this at a respectable spot somewhere between the mediocre mess that is Frankly in Love and the absolute perfection that is To All The Boys I've Loved Before.
rayraymakay's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
akernelofnonsense's review against another edition
4.0
TW: scene of sexual assault (forced/unwanted kissing)
What I Liked:
Analee – There was so much about Analee that I found relatable. She’s an introvert who finds it easier to share her feelings in a journal than out loud. She’s still dealing with the loss of her mother and how that loss reshaped so many of her other relationships. She has social anxiety and is not comfortable being the center of attention. Analee never refers to herself as fat (which might leave something to be desired when it comes to fat rep), but she calls herself chubby and has self-esteem issues, but I loved her entire journey throughout the novel which focuses on self-love.
Analee and Seb – These two are very different from one another, but I loved their dynamic all throughout the novel. I loved that Milanes shows them becoming friends first before exploring anything romantic between the two.
Familial relationships – I always love when contemporaries have such a family-focused story and Analee in Real Life is so good at navigating the MC’s relationship with her father, his fiancée, and her soon-to-be stepsister Avery. I loved that none of these relationships remain stagnant, but grow as a result of the MC’s growth.
Positive stepmother-stepdaughter relationship – Analee’s evolving relationship with her soon-to-be stepmother, Harlow, was my favorite to read about. Harlow is the complete opposite of Analee’s mother and has changed her dad as a result. And Analee can’t help but resent her for it. For example, Analee can’t help compare Harlow’s vegan meals to her mother’s Cuban cuisines. In the end, the two come to understand each other more.
Realistic romantic arcs – The fake dating trope is one of my favorites and although it can be predictable, I just love the tension that seems to underscore these relationships. I don’t want to give too much away, but I love that Milanes writes both Analee and Seb in such a way that they feel flawed and real. They make mistakes and hold themselves back. The ending of the novel felt truly empowering from Analee’s POV because it prioritized where she was in her journey and not necessarily where they were in their relationship.
What I Didn't Like:
Seb in the beginning – While I ended up really enjoying Seb as a character, the beginning made me pause. I was immediately put off by his dynamic with his ex-girlfriend where he didn’t seem to get the message that she wanted space.
Analee and Lily – One of the reasons Analee agrees to fake date Seb is her desire to win back her ex-best friend, Lily. I was disappointed that there were not more scenes between the two of them.
Final Verdict:
Janelle Milanes’s Analee in Real Life will delight fans of the fake dating trope, but shines brightest with the MC’s personal arc that’s rooted in self-love, bravery, and personal growth.
What I Liked:
Analee – There was so much about Analee that I found relatable. She’s an introvert who finds it easier to share her feelings in a journal than out loud. She’s still dealing with the loss of her mother and how that loss reshaped so many of her other relationships. She has social anxiety and is not comfortable being the center of attention. Analee never refers to herself as fat (which might leave something to be desired when it comes to fat rep), but she calls herself chubby and has self-esteem issues, but I loved her entire journey throughout the novel which focuses on self-love.
Analee and Seb – These two are very different from one another, but I loved their dynamic all throughout the novel. I loved that Milanes shows them becoming friends first before exploring anything romantic between the two.
Familial relationships – I always love when contemporaries have such a family-focused story and Analee in Real Life is so good at navigating the MC’s relationship with her father, his fiancée, and her soon-to-be stepsister Avery. I loved that none of these relationships remain stagnant, but grow as a result of the MC’s growth.
Positive stepmother-stepdaughter relationship – Analee’s evolving relationship with her soon-to-be stepmother, Harlow, was my favorite to read about. Harlow is the complete opposite of Analee’s mother and has changed her dad as a result. And Analee can’t help but resent her for it. For example, Analee can’t help compare Harlow’s vegan meals to her mother’s Cuban cuisines. In the end, the two come to understand each other more.
Realistic romantic arcs – The fake dating trope is one of my favorites and although it can be predictable, I just love the tension that seems to underscore these relationships. I don’t want to give too much away, but I love that Milanes writes both Analee and Seb in such a way that they feel flawed and real. They make mistakes and hold themselves back. The ending of the novel felt truly empowering from Analee’s POV because it prioritized where she was in her journey and not necessarily where they were in their relationship.
What I Didn't Like:
Seb in the beginning – While I ended up really enjoying Seb as a character, the beginning made me pause. I was immediately put off by his dynamic with his ex-girlfriend where he didn’t seem to get the message that she wanted space.
Analee and Lily – One of the reasons Analee agrees to fake date Seb is her desire to win back her ex-best friend, Lily. I was disappointed that there were not more scenes between the two of them.
Final Verdict:
Janelle Milanes’s Analee in Real Life will delight fans of the fake dating trope, but shines brightest with the MC’s personal arc that’s rooted in self-love, bravery, and personal growth.
faitha_writes's review against another edition
5.0
This was a really good book. A really, truly good book that just resonated. It was funny, it was heartbreaking. I loved it.
lairofbooksandboba's review against another edition
3.0
would give 3.5/5 stars.
when i saw this book in the library, i HATEd how pink the inside cover was, but also, i'm ride or die for fake dating...
overall, an enjoyable read; the ending felt rushed and like it prioritized friendship over romantic love (which is fine!), but it did that only after it'd prioritized developing analee's love interests for 3/4 of the book. however, loved how analee grew closer to harlow and avery!
when i saw this book in the library, i HATEd how pink the inside cover was, but also, i'm ride or die for fake dating...
overall, an enjoyable read; the ending felt rushed and like it prioritized friendship over romantic love (which is fine!), but it did that only after it'd prioritized developing analee's love interests for 3/4 of the book. however, loved how analee grew closer to harlow and avery!
litpages3's review against another edition
2.0
This definitely wasn't for me. A teenager girl trying to adjust to her new family life (father & girlfriend to marry), an 8 yr old soon to be step-sister, being an outcast at school, losing her best friend to a popular boy at school all while still grieving her mother's death 2 years earlier.
I'm taking into account that 1)she's a teenager, 2) she's grieving 3)high school can be tough with peer pressure, being an outcast and unpopular. Analee makes a deal with a popular boy to fake date so he can win back his ex-girlfriend and she to make her online playmate who she never met jealous.
Here's my issues, 1) the synopsis talks bout Analee's life in a role playing game and the boy she likes, except in a few instances, this is not mentioned much in the story. As a matter of fact at times it went so long without the mention of her online "crush" or the game that I forgot it was part of the story. 2) She falls for her fake crush - yeah like we didn't see that coming, c'mon he was a handsome athlete who all the girls swooned over, 3)she disliked her soon to be stepmom-no surprise, typical reaction, she even disliked the 8 year old stepsister-really? a child?
My biggest gripe - I completely understand about grieving, been there. It's not the grieving that bothered me but Analee's negative attitude towards everything, EVERYTHING, in particular herself.
Yes,some of it was contributed to her mom's death but at 370 pages out of 399 she was still criticizing herself, and it became too much. I grew to dislike the character and stopped feeling sorry for her. There came a point where things started getting better yet she continued to complain and be angry and sad. I agreed with Analee's best friend Lily when she said she got tired of being sad and wanted to be happy and people at school gave her happiness. We're all critical of ourselves but things needed to change and not just in the last 20 pages. It was depressing and like the saying goes, misery loves company and I felt miserable reading this book. Don't we have anything negativity in this world without having a girl criticize everything about herself? Self-love definitely didn't exist in this book and it was desperately needed. It's sad that the girl had more love for a boy than herself.
I'm taking into account that 1)she's a teenager, 2) she's grieving 3)high school can be tough with peer pressure, being an outcast and unpopular. Analee makes a deal with a popular boy to fake date so he can win back his ex-girlfriend and she to make her online playmate who she never met jealous.
Here's my issues, 1) the synopsis talks bout Analee's life in a role playing game and the boy she likes, except in a few instances, this is not mentioned much in the story. As a matter of fact at times it went so long without the mention of her online "crush" or the game that I forgot it was part of the story. 2) She falls for her fake crush - yeah like we didn't see that coming, c'mon he was a handsome athlete who all the girls swooned over, 3)she disliked her soon to be stepmom-no surprise, typical reaction, she even disliked the 8 year old stepsister-really? a child?
My biggest gripe - I completely understand about grieving, been there. It's not the grieving that bothered me but Analee's negative attitude towards everything, EVERYTHING, in particular herself.
Yes,some of it was contributed to her mom's death but at 370 pages out of 399 she was still criticizing herself, and it became too much. I grew to dislike the character and stopped feeling sorry for her. There came a point where things started getting better yet she continued to complain and be angry and sad. I agreed with Analee's best friend Lily when she said she got tired of being sad and wanted to be happy and people at school gave her happiness. We're all critical of ourselves but things needed to change and not just in the last 20 pages. It was depressing and like the saying goes, misery loves company and I felt miserable reading this book. Don't we have anything negativity in this world without having a girl criticize everything about herself? Self-love definitely didn't exist in this book and it was desperately needed. It's sad that the girl had more love for a boy than herself.
readuntilthelastpage's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Grief
Minor: Sexual assault
Harry Potter references