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mierke's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ninisheaven's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
genia_sh95's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
zaza_bdp's review against another edition
4.0
Déjà avant de commencer, j'aurais juste envie de dire à Robbie Couch que je l'aime, que je le remercie et qu'il devrait y avoir plus d'auteurs comme lui ! Quel plaisir et quel bonheur de pouvoir lire de YA queer avec des représentations positives, et aussi de les trouver en VF !
Pour moi, cet auteur fait un boulot formidable en donnant à lire des histoires qui mettent en scène des ados queer sans que tout ne tourne au drame ou à l'angoisse car trop souvent, ce type de roman met l'accent sur le mal-être des ados, le rejet et les tourments qu'ils peuvent connaître. Avec lui, les ados LGBTQ ont une vie normale (ou presque) et ça fait du bien de voir ça, et j'espère que ces romans pourront avoir une place de choix dans les CDI car les ados d'aujourd'hui ont désormais la chance d'avoir ce genre de représentation.
Avec Robbie Couch, on est sur une ambiance très positive, et je trouve ça vraiment parfait, ce petit côté feel-good et très vie normale d'ado, avec tous les mélos, les émois et les imperfections que cela entraîne. Car oui, Blaine est loin d'être parfait, il ne fait pas toujours les bons choix, il peut se montrer égocentrique et égoïste, blessant, mais c'est un ado de 16 ans ! J'ai aimé suivre son cheminement, avec cette atmosphère très teen movie, c'est très américain, mais ça fonctionne super bien ! Blaine se montre un digne héritier de Elle Woods, le personnage campé par Reese Witherspoon dans La revanche d'une blonde il y a ... très longtemps ^^', et d'ailleurs, j'adore le clin d'oeil de la maison d'éditions quant au choix du titre en VF (qui peut paraître très c*nc*n si on a pas la réf).
Alors oui c'est assez convenu, mais j'ai vraiment accroché dès les premières pages et je me suis régalée à suivre les tribulations de Blaine et sa bande d'amis dans cette aventure électorale (l'élection des délégués chez nous, c'est de la gnognotte à côté de de ça, croyez-moi). C'est une belle bande d'amis qui apporte un vrai plus au récit, et qui va aider Blaine à grandir. J'aime aussi que comme dans The Sky blues, les adultes soient des figures positives, je pense notamment à la tante qui est un super personnage.
En conclusion, voilà donc un beau roman initiatique au message très positif, porté par la plume pleine de tendresse d'un auteur que j'aime décidément vraiment beaucoup !
Pour moi, cet auteur fait un boulot formidable en donnant à lire des histoires qui mettent en scène des ados queer sans que tout ne tourne au drame ou à l'angoisse car trop souvent, ce type de roman met l'accent sur le mal-être des ados, le rejet et les tourments qu'ils peuvent connaître. Avec lui, les ados LGBTQ ont une vie normale (ou presque) et ça fait du bien de voir ça, et j'espère que ces romans pourront avoir une place de choix dans les CDI car les ados d'aujourd'hui ont désormais la chance d'avoir ce genre de représentation.
Avec Robbie Couch, on est sur une ambiance très positive, et je trouve ça vraiment parfait, ce petit côté feel-good et très vie normale d'ado, avec tous les mélos, les émois et les imperfections que cela entraîne. Car oui, Blaine est loin d'être parfait, il ne fait pas toujours les bons choix, il peut se montrer égocentrique et égoïste, blessant, mais c'est un ado de 16 ans ! J'ai aimé suivre son cheminement, avec cette atmosphère très teen movie, c'est très américain, mais ça fonctionne super bien ! Blaine se montre un digne héritier de Elle Woods, le personnage campé par Reese Witherspoon dans La revanche d'une blonde il y a ... très longtemps ^^', et d'ailleurs, j'adore le clin d'oeil de la maison d'éditions quant au choix du titre en VF (qui peut paraître très c*nc*n si on a pas la réf).
Alors oui c'est assez convenu, mais j'ai vraiment accroché dès les premières pages et je me suis régalée à suivre les tribulations de Blaine et sa bande d'amis dans cette aventure électorale (l'élection des délégués chez nous, c'est de la gnognotte à côté de de ça, croyez-moi). C'est une belle bande d'amis qui apporte un vrai plus au récit, et qui va aider Blaine à grandir. J'aime aussi que comme dans The Sky blues, les adultes soient des figures positives, je pense notamment à la tante qui est un super personnage.
En conclusion, voilà donc un beau roman initiatique au message très positif, porté par la plume pleine de tendresse d'un auteur que j'aime décidément vraiment beaucoup !
bethany6788's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I just really like how Robbie Couch writes YA lit. His characters are flawed and frustrating, they make mistakes, they love hard, and they just feel like a sweet warm hug. I can’t believe I’m done with his backlist and have nothing to look forward to now!!
This book is legally blonde inspired and it’s just fun and funny. I liked the overall story, and Blaine grew a lot over the course of the novel. I loved the supportive friend group and family. Also Danny and Blaine’s romance was cute. Their shy flirting was adorable. Michael Crouch again crushed the audio - he’s amazing with YA narration!
Robbie - thank you for these characters. They make me laugh and tear up, sigh and shake my head. The best books are the ones that make you feel. I’m so grateful to read your stories!
This book is legally blonde inspired and it’s just fun and funny. I liked the overall story, and Blaine grew a lot over the course of the novel. I loved the supportive friend group and family. Also Danny and Blaine’s romance was cute. Their shy flirting was adorable. Michael Crouch again crushed the audio - he’s amazing with YA narration!
Robbie - thank you for these characters. They make me laugh and tear up, sigh and shake my head. The best books are the ones that make you feel. I’m so grateful to read your stories!
drakoulis's review
5.0
Another funny, heartfelt and sweet YA story from Robbie Couch!
Blaine For The Win is a book of self-discovery first and foremost. Blaine starts doubting every aspect of himself when his boyfriend Joey dumps him on their anniversary for not being "Serious" enough for his ultra-rich family's expectations. Blaine loves painting murals, wearing colorful clothes and doesn't fit the boxes of a "Serious Guy", as he mockingly calls Joey later. His parents work endless hours to make do and his company at home is his recently unemployed aunt.
In an impulsive decision, Blaine decides to run for senior student council president to show Joey (and himself) that he too, is a Serious Guy. During his journey, with the support of his best friend Trish, her dinosaur-loving girlfriend Camilla and his unexpected ally Danny, he campaigns on a mental health platform, reconsiders his choices and his real motivations, and finds out that happiness is different for everyone.
The side characters were an integral point of the story: Trish is a hurricane, a force of nature, Danny is a cinamonn roll and the absolute sweetest, Camilla and Aunt Starr are rays of sunshine, and there is a dog!
If you've read The Sky Blues , you'll notice some common themes and personality traits, like e.g. the default reaction of Blaine being more or less like the one of Sky: retreat to himself, hide in his room and enter a spiral of self-pity. Or the importance of friends when facing obstacles in life. And of course the sweet HEA romance plot!
There are also election shennanigans: intrigue, speeches, debates!
Blaine for the Win is a book that will make you smile!
Blaine For The Win is a book of self-discovery first and foremost. Blaine starts doubting every aspect of himself when his boyfriend Joey dumps him on their anniversary for not being "Serious" enough for his ultra-rich family's expectations. Blaine loves painting murals, wearing colorful clothes and doesn't fit the boxes of a "Serious Guy", as he mockingly calls Joey later. His parents work endless hours to make do and his company at home is his recently unemployed aunt.
In an impulsive decision, Blaine decides to run for senior student council president to show Joey (and himself) that he too, is a Serious Guy. During his journey, with the support of his best friend Trish, her dinosaur-loving girlfriend Camilla and his unexpected ally Danny, he campaigns on a mental health platform, reconsiders his choices and his real motivations, and finds out that happiness is different for everyone.
The side characters were an integral point of the story: Trish is a hurricane, a force of nature, Danny is a cinamonn roll and the absolute sweetest, Camilla and Aunt Starr are rays of sunshine, and there is a dog!
If you've read The Sky Blues , you'll notice some common themes and personality traits, like e.g. the default reaction of Blaine being more or less like the one of Sky: retreat to himself, hide in his room and enter a spiral of self-pity. Or the importance of friends when facing obstacles in life. And of course the sweet HEA romance plot!
There are also election shennanigans: intrigue, speeches, debates!
Blaine for the Win is a book that will make you smile!
pabloandres's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
maddieandherbooks's review
4.0
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the arc!
I enjoyed this book! I liked the Legally Blonde references, and the book was easy to read (also the cover!! I love it so much). This was a relatively quick read, and it was very light-hearted. The drama in it is nicely resolved, and the book just has good vibes.
“Blaine For the Win” follows the main character, Blaine Bowers, and his friends through their senior class president election. It’s pretty much “Legally Blonde” adapted for high school students, and I really enjoyed it. There’s a diverse set of characters, and the author has also focused on mental health issues in schools as one of the issues the characters want to confront throughout their election campaign.
This book was well-written, but the second half of the book felt better to me than the first half. It felt like more of the story happened in the latter half, so the beginning fell kind of flat for me. I found the ending to be a very satisfying conclusion, but there’s not a lot of chemistry in the characters’ romantic relationships, which was a bit of a letdown. The friendships made up for it, though (Trish was definitely my favourite character).
Over all, this book is worth a read! :)
I enjoyed this book! I liked the Legally Blonde references, and the book was easy to read (also the cover!! I love it so much). This was a relatively quick read, and it was very light-hearted. The drama in it is nicely resolved, and the book just has good vibes.
“Blaine For the Win” follows the main character, Blaine Bowers, and his friends through their senior class president election. It’s pretty much “Legally Blonde” adapted for high school students, and I really enjoyed it. There’s a diverse set of characters, and the author has also focused on mental health issues in schools as one of the issues the characters want to confront throughout their election campaign.
This book was well-written, but the second half of the book felt better to me than the first half. It felt like more of the story happened in the latter half, so the beginning fell kind of flat for me. I found the ending to be a very satisfying conclusion, but there’s not a lot of chemistry in the characters’ romantic relationships, which was a bit of a letdown. The friendships made up for it, though (Trish was definitely my favourite character).
Over all, this book is worth a read! :)
the_gare_bear's review
4.0
Cute queer YA novel. Think legally blonde but the high school gay version. A fun fast read.