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jugglingpup's review against another edition
5.0
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
It isn’t often that I find a protagonist who is so open and proud of her sexuality doubting it again. I NEEDED this book. There is so many issues with bisexual representation that a book about a lesbian identified person coming to terms with having feelings for a man sounded like it would either be amazing or it would be terrifying. I couldn’t imagine an in between.
Bach nailed this book. It was perfect. There were so many parts that had me beyond happy: the assumption that boys and girls can’t be friends, the assumption that someone “turned straight” instead of being bisexual, the feeling of such adamant pride in being queer that Freyja couldn’t give in to her feelings, the respect that Sanjay had to Freyja, and the final “you’re you” idea. It was just such a wonderful story about coming to terms, again, with your sexuality and what that meant.
I was Frehja is high school. I was the out and proud lesbian. I wore a rainbow flag as a cape on more than one occasion even. I was part of every single pride event and protest I could find. Then I started dating a man. The school wouldn’t shut up. Freyja was abandoned by her queer friends for “turning straight”, I wasn’t thankfully. It was so wonderful to see a story so close to my heart play out and be this wonderful HEA type story. I want a sequel that talks about what happens after high school.
The book covers a super complex issue of sexuality in such an easy way. It was wonderful to see Frehja angst about everything, but then two people around her had really simple answers that boiled down to “you’re you” which was honestly the advice I gave to so many baby queer people as they were trying to figure themselves out. You just are you. The label part can come later, just be. It was a validation of so much of my life.
I highly recommend this book for queer people in particular. Sexuality and gender are fluid and always developing. It is easy to get into an us vs them or gay vs straight mentality, which doesn’t allow for that growth and doesn’t allow for people to fully express themselves without dear. This book shows that so wonderfully.
I got an ARC of this book.
It isn’t often that I find a protagonist who is so open and proud of her sexuality doubting it again. I NEEDED this book. There is so many issues with bisexual representation that a book about a lesbian identified person coming to terms with having feelings for a man sounded like it would either be amazing or it would be terrifying. I couldn’t imagine an in between.
Bach nailed this book. It was perfect. There were so many parts that had me beyond happy: the assumption that boys and girls can’t be friends, the assumption that someone “turned straight” instead of being bisexual, the feeling of such adamant pride in being queer that Freyja couldn’t give in to her feelings, the respect that Sanjay had to Freyja, and the final “you’re you” idea. It was just such a wonderful story about coming to terms, again, with your sexuality and what that meant.
I was Frehja is high school. I was the out and proud lesbian. I wore a rainbow flag as a cape on more than one occasion even. I was part of every single pride event and protest I could find. Then I started dating a man. The school wouldn’t shut up. Freyja was abandoned by her queer friends for “turning straight”, I wasn’t thankfully. It was so wonderful to see a story so close to my heart play out and be this wonderful HEA type story. I want a sequel that talks about what happens after high school.
The book covers a super complex issue of sexuality in such an easy way. It was wonderful to see Frehja angst about everything, but then two people around her had really simple answers that boiled down to “you’re you” which was honestly the advice I gave to so many baby queer people as they were trying to figure themselves out. You just are you. The label part can come later, just be. It was a validation of so much of my life.
I highly recommend this book for queer people in particular. Sexuality and gender are fluid and always developing. It is easy to get into an us vs them or gay vs straight mentality, which doesn’t allow for that growth and doesn’t allow for people to fully express themselves without dear. This book shows that so wonderfully.
caseythecanadianlesbrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I thought I'd be reading this hi-lo YA novel (high/older teen level concepts but low reading level for reluctant or struggling readers) more as an academic exercise, to assess it as part of a potential library collection. But I actually really enjoyed it!
Freyja is a well fleshed out main character. She's a grade 12 student with a passion for social justice, stubbornness, and black and white thinking about insiders and outsiders, with a clear root to this behaviour in her history of bullying. I recognize this type of emerging activist who is young enough to think they know everything and just wants to save the world. (Hell, I have been that person, although I was never much of an activist). She wants to be a leader but doesn't know how to be a humble and open one.
After Freyja's girlfriend breaks up with her, she decides to try something new and volunteer at the food bank. There she meets a guy named Sanjay, who gets her more than her ex ever did. But Freyja identifies as a lesbian. Potentially falling for a guy challenges her whole sense of self and her dedication to queer politics. She struggles with internalized biphobia and not feeling queer enough, as well as biphobia from her fellow GSA members.
I would love to see more queer stories like this that show LGBTQ+ people's fluidity from one identity to another, especially from gay or lesbian to bisexual or pansexual.
The only unfortunate thing about YOU'RE YOU is the fact that Freyja, a white character, has dreadlocks and this cultural appropriation isn't addressed in the book.
Full review here on my queer Canadian book blog.
Freyja is a well fleshed out main character. She's a grade 12 student with a passion for social justice, stubbornness, and black and white thinking about insiders and outsiders, with a clear root to this behaviour in her history of bullying. I recognize this type of emerging activist who is young enough to think they know everything and just wants to save the world. (Hell, I have been that person, although I was never much of an activist). She wants to be a leader but doesn't know how to be a humble and open one.
After Freyja's girlfriend breaks up with her, she decides to try something new and volunteer at the food bank. There she meets a guy named Sanjay, who gets her more than her ex ever did. But Freyja identifies as a lesbian. Potentially falling for a guy challenges her whole sense of self and her dedication to queer politics. She struggles with internalized biphobia and not feeling queer enough, as well as biphobia from her fellow GSA members.
I would love to see more queer stories like this that show LGBTQ+ people's fluidity from one identity to another, especially from gay or lesbian to bisexual or pansexual.
The only unfortunate thing about YOU'RE YOU is the fact that Freyja, a white character, has dreadlocks and this cultural appropriation isn't addressed in the book.
Full review here on my queer Canadian book blog.
booktosaurus's review against another edition
2.0
Freyja is a high school senior who identifies as queer. Her girlfriend, Rachel has brought out the best in her. Both girls have started a YouTube channel where they talk to other queer teens and constantly remind them how welcomed and loved they are in the community. Freyja is also the president of her school’s gay-straight alliance club (GSA) and does what she can to advocate for the others in the group. But, Rachel breaks up with Freyja and Freyja must figure out her life when Rachel is all she has ever known.
However, Freyja comes off as bossy and the other members of the GSA want to focus on more than just social justice and activism. They want to have fun and enjoy themselves.
In an attempt to try something new and push herself out of her comfort zone, Freyja volunteers and joins the local food bank to help others who are less fortunate. There, she meets Sanjay and begins to question not only herself but her sexuality and everything it means to be queer. She is afraid to be judged and is terrified of labeling herself as anything other than “queer”.
Mette Bach has created a character that can easily be identified with. We all question ourselves constantly. And sometimes, a small label can make or break us. But, the story feels like a cliché. Freyja is not a dynamic character. One guy should not be the reason that she feels like her life is falling apart when nothing is going wrong in her life. The other characters also feel like stereotypes—the overly gay gay guy; the cliquey teenage girls who rather take selfies than do volunteer work.
I am torn about this story. I love the concept and it is well written. But this will not do wonders for the queer community as it is riddled with clichés and stereotypes.
However, Freyja comes off as bossy and the other members of the GSA want to focus on more than just social justice and activism. They want to have fun and enjoy themselves.
In an attempt to try something new and push herself out of her comfort zone, Freyja volunteers and joins the local food bank to help others who are less fortunate. There, she meets Sanjay and begins to question not only herself but her sexuality and everything it means to be queer. She is afraid to be judged and is terrified of labeling herself as anything other than “queer”.
Mette Bach has created a character that can easily be identified with. We all question ourselves constantly. And sometimes, a small label can make or break us. But, the story feels like a cliché. Freyja is not a dynamic character. One guy should not be the reason that she feels like her life is falling apart when nothing is going wrong in her life. The other characters also feel like stereotypes—the overly gay gay guy; the cliquey teenage girls who rather take selfies than do volunteer work.
I am torn about this story. I love the concept and it is well written. But this will not do wonders for the queer community as it is riddled with clichés and stereotypes.
applequeen's review against another edition
3.0
overall I liked it. It was a short and easy read that I finished in like an hour and a half. Although there is a lot in the book that was never addressed. Freyja's relationship with her mother was never further explored. Also the summary on the back of the book is misleading. It says that Sanjay disapproves of Freyja, but I did not get that vibe at all. He seems to be attracted to Freyja from the start. I liked the concept of confused sexuality and the idea that labels do not matter.
ofbooksandbone's review against another edition
5.0
You're You is a rapidly evolving story of 17 year old Freyja and her journey to discover her sexuality. Freyja has always identified as an out and loud lesbian; she even heads up her schools GSA (gay-straight alliance). When her girlfriend dumps her and she meets Sanjay, a boy who shares her values, Freyja is forced to confront her feelings.
You're You takes a quick look inside the mind of a teenage girl as she discovers that sexuality can be fluid. The timeline is accelerated in just 184 pages, making this story a quick read. That is not to say there is anything lacking here, though. I applaud Mette Bach for creating a narrative that can cover so much ground in so few pages.
There is something to be said for books geared towards LGBTQ+ youth, especially ones that won't take you days or weeks to finish. This book took me about two hours to read but left me with so many things to consider that I doubt it'll leave me any time soon. Not only does Freyja have to confront her feelings and sexuality, she's forced to take a step back and look at her own character. I loved seeing her evolve and take steps to make herself a better person.
On top of that, I adore being able to see inside the mind of a strong personality. Often times teenagers will make up their own minds about why someone acts the way they do. They can spout hateful things, judging someone who acts differently. This book takes you into the head of Freyja who seems to be a born leader, bulldozing over anyone who gets in her way. I implore young adults to take a chance on this book; there are several lessons to be learned here.
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
You're You takes a quick look inside the mind of a teenage girl as she discovers that sexuality can be fluid. The timeline is accelerated in just 184 pages, making this story a quick read. That is not to say there is anything lacking here, though. I applaud Mette Bach for creating a narrative that can cover so much ground in so few pages.
There is something to be said for books geared towards LGBTQ+ youth, especially ones that won't take you days or weeks to finish. This book took me about two hours to read but left me with so many things to consider that I doubt it'll leave me any time soon. Not only does Freyja have to confront her feelings and sexuality, she's forced to take a step back and look at her own character. I loved seeing her evolve and take steps to make herself a better person.
On top of that, I adore being able to see inside the mind of a strong personality. Often times teenagers will make up their own minds about why someone acts the way they do. They can spout hateful things, judging someone who acts differently. This book takes you into the head of Freyja who seems to be a born leader, bulldozing over anyone who gets in her way. I implore young adults to take a chance on this book; there are several lessons to be learned here.
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
simonlorden's review
4.0
mixed feelings, but overall I liked it. 3.5 stars (PLEASE GOODREADS LET ME HAVE HALF STARS). review to come
britthebookguru's review
4.0
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Okay. So this is a very cute, fluffy, GOOD representation of sexuality and its fluidity.
BUT. Let's talk downers quickly. This is an insanely fast read, which makes for very quick pacing. There is very little character development here, aside from Freyja realizing that, 1) she can be a bit overbearing when it comes to the GSA, and 2) she is bisexual (whereas she identified as a lesbian before). Things go by extremely fast and sure, you can keep up just fine, but the story feels very rushed. So that was the downer for me.
NOW! On to more important things, like the content!!
This had a lot of good in it. I honestly love that the author took the time to make Freyja normal, with normal teenage relationships. Sometimes whenever authors pen characters who exist in the LGBTQ+ spectrum, they tend to overdue it. They over-represent these characters as overly loving, not loving enough, too sharp, too softspoken, etc etc. I know that it may seem hard to get it right there in the middle, but the beautiful thing about these characters is that they are JUST like the straight characters!! There is no need to write them any differently, besides their sexuality. And Mette Bach clearly knows this, because she wrote Rachel and Freyja's relationship so normal and relatable. She wrote Freyja's every day actions and thoughts like anyone else's, and that was a nice change. Gay people are still normal people (I can't believe I even have to say this).
One of the big struggles for Freyja in this story is learning about just how fluid her sexuality is, and I'm so, so, so glad that Mette Bach let Freyja's character follow her heart and desires instead of making her turn against what she wanted for the sake of labels (we hate labels here).
Overall, I think that this is the type of book that anyone struggling with their sexuality, no matter what the conditions may be, would relate to. It could benefit to have more length so that the pacing doesn't suffer quite so much, but the message and the content really are worth the read.
Also wanted to share this little tidbit from the book that made me actually Laugh Out Loud: "North American's aren't afraid of dictators. But they're afraid of spiders." Gladys popped OFF.
Okay. So this is a very cute, fluffy, GOOD representation of sexuality and its fluidity.
BUT. Let's talk downers quickly. This is an insanely fast read, which makes for very quick pacing. There is very little character development here, aside from Freyja realizing that, 1) she can be a bit overbearing when it comes to the GSA, and 2) she is bisexual (whereas she identified as a lesbian before). Things go by extremely fast and sure, you can keep up just fine, but the story feels very rushed. So that was the downer for me.
NOW! On to more important things, like the content!!
This had a lot of good in it. I honestly love that the author took the time to make Freyja normal, with normal teenage relationships. Sometimes whenever authors pen characters who exist in the LGBTQ+ spectrum, they tend to overdue it. They over-represent these characters as overly loving, not loving enough, too sharp, too softspoken, etc etc. I know that it may seem hard to get it right there in the middle, but the beautiful thing about these characters is that they are JUST like the straight characters!! There is no need to write them any differently, besides their sexuality. And Mette Bach clearly knows this, because she wrote Rachel and Freyja's relationship so normal and relatable. She wrote Freyja's every day actions and thoughts like anyone else's, and that was a nice change. Gay people are still normal people (I can't believe I even have to say this).
One of the big struggles for Freyja in this story is learning about just how fluid her sexuality is, and I'm so, so, so glad that Mette Bach let Freyja's character follow her heart and desires instead of making her turn against what she wanted for the sake of labels (we hate labels here).
Overall, I think that this is the type of book that anyone struggling with their sexuality, no matter what the conditions may be, would relate to. It could benefit to have more length so that the pacing doesn't suffer quite so much, but the message and the content really are worth the read.
Also wanted to share this little tidbit from the book that made me actually Laugh Out Loud: "North American's aren't afraid of dictators. But they're afraid of spiders." Gladys popped OFF.
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