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vmars314's review against another edition
I normally love the “you’ve got mail” trope where the MCs are friends online and don’t realize it when they meet in real life. Here, Halle and Nash are friends online and when they randomly meet in person she knows exactly who he is from the start but he has no clue because she uses a pseudonym (Kels). She doesn’t want to ruin what they already have so doesn’t tell him, but it’s already becoming a little cringy and almost catfishy because Nash is talking to Kels about Halle and asking for advice. She’s already had tons of opportunities to tell him and I just don’t think I can do more of that for at least another 250 pages.
bookishjosh's review
4.0
To him, it's a triangle. But I know it's just a line. It's always been a line.
Not only does this book have a super cute cover; it also has one of the most relatable characters in YA fiction. Most readers will like the sweet "love triangle." But if you're a fellow book blogger or reviewer, you're going to resonate with the story on an entirely different level.
What I Like About You focuses on the life of Halle Levit, who happens to be the daughter of prominent Jewish filmmakers and the granddaughter of a well-known editor. Halle wants to be a bookish influencer without the help of her connections, so she creates a new persona: Kels. Soon, Kels wows the YA community with One True Pastry (OTP), a blog that combines unique cupcakes with book covers and reviews. Kels also befriends a Korean-Jewish artist named Nash, and the possibility of meeting IRL becomes too tempting. However, when family problems result in an accidental get-together, Halle doesn't have the guts to tell Nash that she's Kels. And guess what? Nash has fallen in love with Kels.
I loved reading the narrative from Halle's POV because of our many similarities. Our love for family, our passion for reading/writing, and even our disdain for big groups of strangers. Halle usually had panic attacks at parties, and I deeply understood why she couldn't thrive in such high-energy situations. I'd rather stay at home than be a wallflower or trying-hard extrovert. I don't want to sound bitter; I just think that it's better to have remarkable conversations with a few people than engage in small talk with many people whose names you'll immediately forget. Hahahahaha. I'm pretty sure that Halle would affirm my argument.
Halle's most striking quality was her blogging consistency. Regardless of her heavy academic load, she had time to write and schedule posts for her readers. And her creative process wasn't simple at all. She had to bake dozens of cupcakes for a single book cover reveal. The downside was that Halle became too focused on social media to the detriment of her IRL relationships. Moreover, not everyone on the Internet had nice things to say about One True Pastry. This novel taught me that Book Twitter could be a significant source of undue stress and anxiety. Book blogging is fun and rewarding, indeed. But it's not all sunshine and rainbows, either.
Because of her dedication to book publicity, Halle earned a spot at BookCon. In this annual event, readers can meet their favorite authors, win ARCs of hyped books, and just appreciate the presence of fellow bookworms. Halle was invited to be one of the panelists for a much-awaited discussion, and her excitement and gratitude were palpable. In a way, reading about Halle's experience made me feel like I was there myself. I'd love to attend BookCon, but I don't have the means to do so. For now, I can only keep on dreaming. :(
Regardless of my fondness and empathy for Halle, I resented her for how she treated Nash. Ollie, Halle's brother, always encouraged her to come clean. But it was to no avail. When the pressure of having two identities became overwhelming, Halle ghosted Nash as Kels as if their long-term friendship meant nothing. Nash learned the truth about Kels before Halle could tell him herself, so he was very heartbroken. If I remember correctly, his anger lasted for around 50 pages. LOL
As a whole, I liked many things about What I Like About You. It's perhaps the most engaging contemporary book that I've read this year. Hopefully, I can emulate Halle's blogging habits and write reviews more often. If only reading were a full-time job! Sometimes, #adulting sucks.
Not only does this book have a super cute cover; it also has one of the most relatable characters in YA fiction. Most readers will like the sweet "love triangle." But if you're a fellow book blogger or reviewer, you're going to resonate with the story on an entirely different level.
What I Like About You focuses on the life of Halle Levit, who happens to be the daughter of prominent Jewish filmmakers and the granddaughter of a well-known editor. Halle wants to be a bookish influencer without the help of her connections, so she creates a new persona: Kels. Soon, Kels wows the YA community with One True Pastry (OTP), a blog that combines unique cupcakes with book covers and reviews. Kels also befriends a Korean-Jewish artist named Nash, and the possibility of meeting IRL becomes too tempting. However, when family problems result in an accidental get-together, Halle doesn't have the guts to tell Nash that she's Kels. And guess what? Nash has fallen in love with Kels.
I loved reading the narrative from Halle's POV because of our many similarities. Our love for family, our passion for reading/writing, and even our disdain for big groups of strangers. Halle usually had panic attacks at parties, and I deeply understood why she couldn't thrive in such high-energy situations. I'd rather stay at home than be a wallflower or trying-hard extrovert. I don't want to sound bitter; I just think that it's better to have remarkable conversations with a few people than engage in small talk with many people whose names you'll immediately forget. Hahahahaha. I'm pretty sure that Halle would affirm my argument.
Halle's most striking quality was her blogging consistency. Regardless of her heavy academic load, she had time to write and schedule posts for her readers. And her creative process wasn't simple at all. She had to bake dozens of cupcakes for a single book cover reveal. The downside was that Halle became too focused on social media to the detriment of her IRL relationships. Moreover, not everyone on the Internet had nice things to say about One True Pastry. This novel taught me that Book Twitter could be a significant source of undue stress and anxiety. Book blogging is fun and rewarding, indeed. But it's not all sunshine and rainbows, either.
Because of her dedication to book publicity, Halle earned a spot at BookCon. In this annual event, readers can meet their favorite authors, win ARCs of hyped books, and just appreciate the presence of fellow bookworms. Halle was invited to be one of the panelists for a much-awaited discussion, and her excitement and gratitude were palpable. In a way, reading about Halle's experience made me feel like I was there myself. I'd love to attend BookCon, but I don't have the means to do so. For now, I can only keep on dreaming. :(
Regardless of my fondness and empathy for Halle, I resented her for how she treated Nash. Ollie, Halle's brother, always encouraged her to come clean. But it was to no avail. When the pressure of having two identities became overwhelming, Halle ghosted Nash as Kels as if their long-term friendship meant nothing. Nash learned the truth about Kels before Halle could tell him herself, so he was very heartbroken. If I remember correctly, his anger lasted for around 50 pages. LOL
As a whole, I liked many things about What I Like About You. It's perhaps the most engaging contemporary book that I've read this year. Hopefully, I can emulate Halle's blogging habits and write reviews more often. If only reading were a full-time job! Sometimes, #adulting sucks.
lilo05's review
5.0
When I first picked up this book in the library was partly because it was placed in the "new books" section and the cover seemed interesting. When I read the description I thought "meh probably another cliché story". But when I finally opened and started reading I have to confess that sure it was a cliche type of story but at the same time it was a good cliche, the kind that pulls you in and doesn't make you tired of it. The plot of this book keeps your attention, I loved it, it was easy to read. I recommend it!
chime's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
rannum's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jensen122's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
laura_cs's review
5.0
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"What I Like About You" is this year's top choice for fans of "Geekerella", "Eliza and Her Monsters", and basically any YA novel or Book Blogger!
Halle Levitt is your average Jewish, book-loving, cupcake-baking high school senior. Except when she's online as Kels Roth, popular blogger of One True Pastry (OTP for short!). Halle dreams of following in her Grams' footsteps in working in publishing, particularly YA publishing. OTP helps her do that. She's made so many friends along the way, especially Nash, a webcomic artist who also runs a successful book blog. But when a move takes Halle to Middleton, Connecticut, a trip to the library gives her the shock of a lifetime: Nash lives in her new town.
Fearing that he would be disappointed in learning that Halle is Kels, Halle is determined to keep her distance and never let him know the truth. But that's hard when they keep getting drawn to each other, finding each other everywhere: homeroom, lunch, Shabbat services at the Temple... Can Halle keep her secret? Or will she tell Nash the truth?
This is a novel about many things. Grief, love, friendship, identity, the love of the written word, and cupcakes. So many cupcakes. I want to devour so many cupcakes right now...
But, seriously, identity. It is essentially the theme of "What I Like About You". I could write a ten-page essay on the theme of identity in this novel. Halle struggles to be Halle and Kels, but also wrestles with her Jewish identity, who she wants to be when she grows up, what she wants to be, and stresses how her beloved grandmother as well as her nontraditional upbringing shapes her and her career path. Halle is a teen who is slowly getting closer and closer to adulthood, and all the things that come with it: college, career, and how it affects her particular passion of YA novels. (YA novels are totally meant for teens, but that doesn't mean they should only be enjoyed by teens! Shout out to Kanter for how she handles this discussion!)
This is one of the year's best debuts, and Kanter's writing has me addicted; I am eager to see what will come next, and cannot wait for "What I Like About You" to be fully released into the world! (Find me on release day with a dozen cupcakes and re-reading!)
Also, I am still sobbing over the last lines of this book. They are so so perfect...
"What I Like About You" is this year's top choice for fans of "Geekerella", "Eliza and Her Monsters", and basically any YA novel or Book Blogger!
Halle Levitt is your average Jewish, book-loving, cupcake-baking high school senior. Except when she's online as Kels Roth, popular blogger of One True Pastry (OTP for short!). Halle dreams of following in her Grams' footsteps in working in publishing, particularly YA publishing. OTP helps her do that. She's made so many friends along the way, especially Nash, a webcomic artist who also runs a successful book blog. But when a move takes Halle to Middleton, Connecticut, a trip to the library gives her the shock of a lifetime: Nash lives in her new town.
Fearing that he would be disappointed in learning that Halle is Kels, Halle is determined to keep her distance and never let him know the truth. But that's hard when they keep getting drawn to each other, finding each other everywhere: homeroom, lunch, Shabbat services at the Temple... Can Halle keep her secret? Or will she tell Nash the truth?
This is a novel about many things. Grief, love, friendship, identity, the love of the written word, and cupcakes. So many cupcakes. I want to devour so many cupcakes right now...
But, seriously, identity. It is essentially the theme of "What I Like About You". I could write a ten-page essay on the theme of identity in this novel. Halle struggles to be Halle and Kels, but also wrestles with her Jewish identity, who she wants to be when she grows up, what she wants to be, and stresses how her beloved grandmother as well as her nontraditional upbringing shapes her and her career path. Halle is a teen who is slowly getting closer and closer to adulthood, and all the things that come with it: college, career, and how it affects her particular passion of YA novels. (YA novels are totally meant for teens, but that doesn't mean they should only be enjoyed by teens! Shout out to Kanter for how she handles this discussion!)
This is one of the year's best debuts, and Kanter's writing has me addicted; I am eager to see what will come next, and cannot wait for "What I Like About You" to be fully released into the world! (Find me on release day with a dozen cupcakes and re-reading!)
Also, I am still sobbing over the last lines of this book. They are so so perfect...
distant_ships's review
2.0
The MC had me angry for this entire book. Frustration level was almost too high to finish. I think I would have been more interesting in reading about her brother's story tbh.
li11y's review against another edition
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? No
4.0