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melinda_and_her_books's review against another edition
4.0
At first I wasn't sure what to think of this book. I'm so use to reading thriller or suspense type books by KA Tucker. I wasn't too sure I liked her writing a YA. However, even though i originally wanted to give this story a 3 i settled on a 4. I feel like people need to read this. Teenagers need to read about this. Bullying is a very important topic. I myself have been bullied as a child, teenager and even now as an adult. I can also relate to KA Tucker having a child who is autistic. My daughter is also autistic. However she is so high functioning that most people don't see it unless they really get to know us. I may not like her writing YA but I feel like this story has important topics that people need to learn about and become more aware of.
ktann11's review
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-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? Yes
3.5
scnole2021's review
emotional
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
3.5
ameserole's review against another edition
1.0
One audio that I honestly didn't really listen to. More like background noise to whatever I was actually doing.
Be the Girl was such a boring book. I couldn't get into anything. The characters were meh and boring. The relationships weren't something that I could get invested into either. In all honesty, I just wasn't connecting to anything that was happening. Again, it was just background noise to me.
In it, you will meet Aria and Emmett. These two were okay but boring. Maybe it's because the first part of this book was just so slow moving. Then there's the fact that it was just plain predictable. So entering into the second half of this book, I guess things starting moving a bit faster but again - I was just bored.
It was definitely too little too late because I just didn't care what was happening to these two. The bullying had zero effect on me as well - which is a bit bothersome. In the end, I just wanted it to be over with because I was completely done with everything that was happening.
Be the Girl was such a boring book. I couldn't get into anything. The characters were meh and boring. The relationships weren't something that I could get invested into either. In all honesty, I just wasn't connecting to anything that was happening. Again, it was just background noise to me.
In it, you will meet Aria and Emmett. These two were okay but boring. Maybe it's because the first part of this book was just so slow moving. Then there's the fact that it was just plain predictable. So entering into the second half of this book, I guess things starting moving a bit faster but again - I was just bored.
It was definitely too little too late because I just didn't care what was happening to these two. The bullying had zero effect on me as well - which is a bit bothersome. In the end, I just wanted it to be over with because I was completely done with everything that was happening.
mirrorchaser's review against another edition
4.0
Like a lot of books, I have conflicted feelings about this one and I wish I could leave a more complex rating than a 1-5 star. From a YA perspective, this book was AMAZING. This is exactly the kind of book I would have not only eaten up at 14-16, but the kind of book that would have stuck with me for years after. I would have recommended it to every friend, considered every word I ever said to anyone, and probably would have asked people to start calling me by my initials (which they do, but that didn't start until college and I did not condone it.)
Reading it through the lens of a teen, beautiful book. Honestly. I would tell any parent of a teen to read this and then recommend it to your child, though I would caution parents that there is quite a bit of sex-positivity though it isn't graphic.
The protagonist, Aria, knows that her love interest, Emmett, and his girlfriend, Holly, are having sex. Holly and Emmett are cited with "mussed hair" and "clothes in disarray" at least once. As the story progresses The reason I think these aren't such a big deal is that the book is dealing with a lot of other very heavy topics - bullying, teen suicide, shuttered family systems, special needs teens, etc. so if you're comfortable with your child being exposed to these topics, they can likely handle a little heavy petting. With that being said, these topics can get intense at times (not nearly to the level of [b:Thirteen Reasons Why|29844228|Thirteen Reasons Why|Jay Asher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1555345043l/29844228._SY75_.jpg|2588213] which I should not have read as a teen and 100% glamorizes suicide) and that's why I think every parent should first read the book and determine if the level of this novel is at where your child is at.
I also want to mention something else this book did very well - Cassie. I spent several years as a peer-student in an immersive school for children on the autism spectrum. Neurotypical kids were sprinkled throughout to provide a truly immersive experience, leadership, and help eliminate social exclusion of kids with ASD. There, I gained lifelong friends who were differently abled or had special needs. I think that the way Tucker wrote Cassie was a beautiful example of how ASD might present for a person. I also found a lot of kinship with Emmett and his parents. I, too, have a sibling who has been diagnosed with ASD and have felt the protectiveness, frustration, and uncertainty that Emmett feels and I've seen my parents got through the same things Heather and Mark are working through regarding Cassie's needs and her future.
Through the lens of an adult, there were definitely areas where the book was severely lacking. Obviously, it's hard for me as an adult to read a book where a child is making out with or sexually describing someone they are interested in because it's been a long time since I've found a seventeen year old boy "hot." Also, since it was legal for me to find a seventeen year old boy hot. Yikes, am I really getting this old? Sneaks up on you.
Anyway, this book was getting a lot of pushback and negative reviews due to the plot twist being obvious, and I didn't think that was the case! I was surprised! With that being said, I think the fact that there was a directly parallel to Aria Wiser's situation and Aria Joneses situation was contrived and I would have appreciated a bit more of a natural, adjacent situation. The book also was written with a very "YA" voice which I don't always hate but it was tough to get through some parts. Nearly right away we were being fed "her mom's a lawyer, her mom's a lawyer" which was never actually part of the plot and that was so frustrating to me. A lot of small things like that happened periodically, but again, it's hard to not write it off as teen voice. I'm giving a pass for the insta-love because honestly anyone who says they don't like insta-love a little bit is just a big liar and also have you met a teenager?
All in all, a solid read! I'm glad I didn't listen to negative reviews and gave it a shot!
Willing to "give it a shot" too? Consider buying a copy of this book HERE to support indie booksellers, the author, and me (through a small commission) then come back and let me know what your thoughts were!
Reading it through the lens of a teen, beautiful book. Honestly. I would tell any parent of a teen to read this and then recommend it to your child, though I would caution parents that there is quite a bit of sex-positivity though it isn't graphic.
The protagonist, Aria, knows that her love interest, Emmett, and his girlfriend, Holly, are having sex. Holly and Emmett are cited with "mussed hair" and "clothes in disarray" at least once. As the story progresses
Spoiler
the main character ends up with her love interest and there is a lot of vividly described makeout sessions and some heavy petting. At the very end of the book, Aria insinuates that she will be having sex with Emmett by letting the reader know that she has a condom in her clutch and she is going to give him all of her even though he is leaving in the Fall for college.I also want to mention something else this book did very well - Cassie. I spent several years as a peer-student in an immersive school for children on the autism spectrum. Neurotypical kids were sprinkled throughout to provide a truly immersive experience, leadership, and help eliminate social exclusion of kids with ASD. There, I gained lifelong friends who were differently abled or had special needs. I think that the way Tucker wrote Cassie was a beautiful example of how ASD might present for a person. I also found a lot of kinship with Emmett and his parents. I, too, have a sibling who has been diagnosed with ASD and have felt the protectiveness, frustration, and uncertainty that Emmett feels and I've seen my parents got through the same things Heather and Mark are working through regarding Cassie's needs and her future.
Through the lens of an adult, there were definitely areas where the book was severely lacking. Obviously, it's hard for me as an adult to read a book where a child is making out with or sexually describing someone they are interested in because it's been a long time since I've found a seventeen year old boy "hot." Also, since it was legal for me to find a seventeen year old boy hot. Yikes, am I really getting this old? Sneaks up on you.
Anyway, this book was getting a lot of pushback and negative reviews due to the plot twist being obvious, and I didn't think that was the case! I was surprised! With that being said, I think the fact that there was a directly parallel to Aria Wiser's situation and Aria Joneses situation was contrived and I would have appreciated a bit more of a natural, adjacent situation.
Spoiler
The bully becomes the bullied, becomes the bullied again, becomes the bully again, gets bullied again is a lot to handle but is also very real. What isn't real is the situation being nearly identical both times.All in all, a solid read! I'm glad I didn't listen to negative reviews and gave it a shot!
Willing to "give it a shot" too? Consider buying a copy of this book HERE to support indie booksellers, the author, and me (through a small commission) then come back and let me know what your thoughts were!
mariecraftco's review against another edition
5.0
I don't even know how to feel right now.
I loved it. I literally couldn't stop reading it. I had to find out what happened.
There were tears. Yelling. Laughing. Swearing.
KA hit a home run.
I can't wait for everyone to experience what I am experiencing.
I have no idea how to decompress after this. 🖤
I loved it. I literally couldn't stop reading it. I had to find out what happened.
There were tears. Yelling. Laughing. Swearing.
KA hit a home run.
I can't wait for everyone to experience what I am experiencing.
I have no idea how to decompress after this. 🖤
dianaandthebookhunt's review
4.0
I loved the plottwist of AJ having been a bully, but it does make me sad and angry that she felt she had to lie to Emmett about it in order to keep him. Just made her a copy of Holly imo. Also cuddos to him for forgiving her.
rodeorocks13's review
5.0
Be the girl tells the story of Aria and the world around her as the new girl starting over. Her first friend being Cassie the friendly neighbor who also has autism. Aria has to learn to navigate and understand the social cues that comes with Cassie’s autism as she becomes protective of her new friend. Her second friend just so happens to her other neighbor, Cassie’s brother Emmett, who Aria starts to have feelings for and who also has to have a girlfriend.
This story is a real and deep book. It covers so many issues teenagers and adults both struggle with in the modern age of technology and society. Some of the issues that are addressed in this book have been happening for generations and still are. The plot keeps you enthralled all the way to the end. The characters feel very realistic and relatable at times.
K.A. Tucker has taken situations that most of us have experienced at least once in our life and others that some of have not. She turned them into a book that I feel all teenagers should read. It faces so much that we go through in high school and even younger. She put so much emotion into Aria’s story that you feel it from the writing. This has to be one of my all-time favorite books of hers. It takes a strong, confident and caring person to write a book this deep and then publish it. This story is a great read and needs to be read. I feel like I understand more about autism and the way it effects a person because of this book. I’m a very empathetic person and I feel this book has made me even more of one. I strongly feel like it is a must read as I’ve said multiple times in this review.
I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
This story is a real and deep book. It covers so many issues teenagers and adults both struggle with in the modern age of technology and society. Some of the issues that are addressed in this book have been happening for generations and still are. The plot keeps you enthralled all the way to the end. The characters feel very realistic and relatable at times.
K.A. Tucker has taken situations that most of us have experienced at least once in our life and others that some of have not. She turned them into a book that I feel all teenagers should read. It faces so much that we go through in high school and even younger. She put so much emotion into Aria’s story that you feel it from the writing. This has to be one of my all-time favorite books of hers. It takes a strong, confident and caring person to write a book this deep and then publish it. This story is a great read and needs to be read. I feel like I understand more about autism and the way it effects a person because of this book. I’m a very empathetic person and I feel this book has made me even more of one. I strongly feel like it is a must read as I’ve said multiple times in this review.
I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.