Reviews

Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending by Jodi McAlister

Only show reviews with written explanations

blackveilbeccy's review

I couldn’t get into this at ALL. It was very melodramatic and the writing style wasn’t my thing. I felt like the plot was going nowhere, and I didn’t like any of the characters at all. There was faux-intrigue with Roarke, but otherwise it was cliquey drama kids talk too much and complain a lot.

dillydallydesigns's review

Go to review page

hopeful lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

4.0

seasonforreading's review

Go to review page

5.0

Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending by Jodi McAlister is a fantastic contemporary YA romance, following our main character Libby as she tries to find her way through life. She participates in her University's theatre program, determined to make the jump between chorus actor and main character. As Libby navigates through a confusing world of study, boys and friends, she realises she is so good at pretending to be okay that she isn't sure how to tell everyone that she isn't.

Jodi McAlister has written a beautiful YA contemporary romance, with a very endearing main character. I personally enjoyed reading a book about a uni theatre group, especially one with such relatable issues. The story flowed well, with a pace that a reader can usually only dream about. I read this book in one sitting, finding it easy to lose myself in the story. Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending is well written, relatable and enjoyable. Many of the situations she found herself in made me cringe, and others made me laugh (the idea of Ella finding Libby's underwear in the Swamp, so gross but also very funny!). The slow burn between Libby and Will was great to read, and I liked Will's resilience and acceptance of Libby's struggles. Roarke's character was possibly my least favourite, he seemed to switch between commitment-phobe to dream boyfriend in a matter of seconds. Libby and Ella had a fascinating friendship, and I enjoyed seeing how the two realised what they had, and recognised that it was worth keeping.

The difficulty that Libby had feeling included in her theatre friendship group, and the internal filtering she had to do before communicating with the group, demonstrated the very real issues faced by university students. The desire to fit in, and the fear of potentially saying or doing the wrong thing, is a struggle that many would be able to relate to.

I loved this book, and thought it was a great first YA contemporary romance for Jodi McAlister. I haven't read any of her previous books, however after enjoying her writing style so thoroughly, I intend to read her other YA books.

nedge's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

deafchipmunk's review against another edition

Go to review page

Got to page 80 when I finally put it down. So boring, did not care for any of the characters. “It picks up half way through” I don’t give a shit I ain’t reading this

melbsreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Trigger warnings: mental health, grief, death of a sibling (in the past), emotional abuse, stalking, vomit

If I had to describe this book in a single word, it would be MESSY. And that honestly sums up the undergraduate experience. Like, if you get through undergrad without being a mess, you're doing undergrad wrong (and I say that as someone who didn't drink or date or generally spend time with people during undergrad, and I was still messy as hell).

As someone who was obsessed with the In Death series in my early 20s, I found myself giggling every time Roarke was on the page. And the dynamic between Will and Libby reminded me a little of Saving Francesca. I did want a LITTLE more of the friendship between Libby and Ella. Like, we know that they've been best friends since childhood, but it felt a lot like this year and this book is when their friendship starts to change, and I wanted a liiiiiiiittle more of them finding their footing again.

Anyway, I had a lot of fun reading this, although I don't entirely think I would agree that it's a YA title...