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Repeat After Me
She’s about to have a serious temporal tantrum.
In retrospect, I probably should have passed on the ceviche.
It was already a weird Friday. My class is stuck on an eerily remote island for our senior trip, I’m pretty sure Mr. D (“call me Max”) is hiding something from us, my ex–best friend turned nemesis keeps stealing my candy, and tonight’s plan for my boyfriend and me to finally lose our virginity to each other is going hellishly.
I mean, ceviche is delicious, don’t get me wrong. But a dish made from a supposedly immortal octopus should really come with a warning label.
Caution: consuming a telepathic sea creature of unknown origin may result in immortality, no consequences to any actions, and getting stuck in a time loop for all of eternity.
Now every morning I wake up, and it’s the same Friday all over again. Same annoying classmates. Same island suspended in time by an evil oyster farmer with a God complex. Same outrageous candy theft. The only person I can count on to keep me from losing my grip on this new reality is Louis, my best friend who knows me better than anyone else in this world.
This should be a cephalopod-induced nightmare but somehow—in some ridiculous way—I feel like I’m experiencing the extraordinary, the gift of endless opportunities to get things right. But when I wake up every morning and it’s Friday again, sometimes it feels more like a never-ending prison sentence.
They say some things are worse than death…
…guess I’m about to find out.
In retrospect, I probably should have passed on the ceviche.
It was already a weird Friday. My class is stuck on an eerily remote island for our senior trip, I’m pretty sure Mr. D (“call me Max”) is hiding something from us, my ex–best friend turned nemesis keeps stealing my candy, and tonight’s plan for my boyfriend and me to finally lose our virginity to each other is going hellishly.
I mean, ceviche is delicious, don’t get me wrong. But a dish made from a supposedly immortal octopus should really come with a warning label.
Caution: consuming a telepathic sea creature of unknown origin may result in immortality, no consequences to any actions, and getting stuck in a time loop for all of eternity.
Now every morning I wake up, and it’s the same Friday all over again. Same annoying classmates. Same island suspended in time by an evil oyster farmer with a God complex. Same outrageous candy theft. The only person I can count on to keep me from losing my grip on this new reality is Louis, my best friend who knows me better than anyone else in this world.
This should be a cephalopod-induced nightmare but somehow—in some ridiculous way—I feel like I’m experiencing the extraordinary, the gift of endless opportunities to get things right. But when I wake up every morning and it’s Friday again, sometimes it feels more like a never-ending prison sentence.
They say some things are worse than death…
…guess I’m about to find out.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published September 3, 2024
88 people are currently reading
5971 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Warman
12 books396 followersJessica Warman is the author of Breathless, which received three starred reviews and was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and Where the Truth Lies. The idea for Between came from an incident in her childhood, when a local boy went missing after a party on a yacht (he was eventually found, alive).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
dnf
July 2, 2024OKay, I made it 40% of the way through this book before I well and truly had just had enough. This book is many things (crass? profane? obscene?) but one thing it definitely is the most is confusing. These characters feel like funhouse versions of people, and the longer I read, the more they stretched in weird ways. This book was not written for teenagers, and I don't really know why it was written about teenagers. They could have been seniors in college and it would've made more sense. These characters are seemingly all obsessed with sex in the exact same way. There were too many POVs to keep track of all the characters and they were all mostly the same brand of Fucking Weird that it was hard to parse through. One of the POVs was the teacher and he sounded exactly like the teenagers. Two of the characters are Italian exchange students who are so, like, offensively characterized and stereotyped that I was genuinely offended on behalf of Italian people? This book could definitely benefit from a rebrand as a profane delve into body horror, because Palm Springs meets 50 First Dates it was not.
September 25, 2024
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I liked this book. It is a weird book, bizarre. I like weird stories so that worked out just fine for me but this may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I started reading a print copy of the book and reached a point where I was hooked and decided to grab a copy of the audiobook so that I could continue the story while at work. I guess you could say that I had a very hard time putting this one down.
One thing that I believe I should mention is the fact that there is a pretty big focus on sex in this book, especially for a book being targeted to a Young Adult audience. I think that this is probably appropriate for an older teen audience, but maybe not the younger crowd. I wouldn’t it is necessarily graphic but sex-related topics appear often, frequently in the most hilarious way imaginable.
Emma is going on a senior trip with some of her classmates, including her boyfriend, to a small island. The day that Emma loses her virginity ends up being repeated over and over, think Groundhog Day. After an encounter with an immortal octopus, she is stuck repeating the same, not-so-pleasant, day. As she tries to find her way out of the time loop, she learns that she isn’t alone in the world of repeat. In this story, almost anything can and does happen.
I believe this was the first time that I have listened to both Tina Wolstencroft and Matt Weisgerber’s narration. I thought they both did a fantastic job with this strange story and liked the fact that their voices complemented each other nicely. I feel that they did a great job with the various characters’ voices which helped to bring the story to life. I do believe that their performance added to my overall enjoyment.
I would recommend this book to others. This was a sometimes bizarre and often outrageous story that just seemed to work for me. I wouldn’t hesitate to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Entangled: Teen.
I liked this book. It is a weird book, bizarre. I like weird stories so that worked out just fine for me but this may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I started reading a print copy of the book and reached a point where I was hooked and decided to grab a copy of the audiobook so that I could continue the story while at work. I guess you could say that I had a very hard time putting this one down.
One thing that I believe I should mention is the fact that there is a pretty big focus on sex in this book, especially for a book being targeted to a Young Adult audience. I think that this is probably appropriate for an older teen audience, but maybe not the younger crowd. I wouldn’t it is necessarily graphic but sex-related topics appear often, frequently in the most hilarious way imaginable.
Emma is going on a senior trip with some of her classmates, including her boyfriend, to a small island. The day that Emma loses her virginity ends up being repeated over and over, think Groundhog Day. After an encounter with an immortal octopus, she is stuck repeating the same, not-so-pleasant, day. As she tries to find her way out of the time loop, she learns that she isn’t alone in the world of repeat. In this story, almost anything can and does happen.
I believe this was the first time that I have listened to both Tina Wolstencroft and Matt Weisgerber’s narration. I thought they both did a fantastic job with this strange story and liked the fact that their voices complemented each other nicely. I feel that they did a great job with the various characters’ voices which helped to bring the story to life. I do believe that their performance added to my overall enjoyment.
I would recommend this book to others. This was a sometimes bizarre and often outrageous story that just seemed to work for me. I wouldn’t hesitate to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Entangled: Teen.
October 5, 2024
Palm Springs meets 50 First Dates with a whole new twist when a teen relives-
The pitch alone makes me want to set someone on fire.
Mostly out of boredom.
Emma, (one of the 5 protagonists, the book follows multiple points-of-view. I wrote a chart on the back of the cover. Not because it was particularly confusing, I was just too bored to be arsed), is stuck on an eerily remote island for our senior trip with her class. The teacher Mr. D (“call me Max”) is hiding something, her ex–best friend turned nemesis keeps stealing her candy, and plans boyfriend to lose her virginity.
But a dish made from a supposedly immortal octopus causes a temporal tantrum, literally ground-hog-daying, uncovering the back-stories and romantic plots trying to escape the loop. Here's the thing. The pitch is fun, it's mildly entertaining.
But somehow all dynamical drama just made it boring.
Several ratings:
1/5 for "relatability". Feels like it's for people in their 30s that fantasize about Euphoria, but without an able commentary on addiction. Claiming vomit, piss wrapped millennial nostalgia “meant for a Gen Z audience”. An avowed 'honest, emotional portrayal' of the dark side of teenage life. Not because it was true, but its al they remember the hazy vestiges of their faded youth.
It's fine to have nostalgia, not to colonize the youth and claim it was always yours.
Characters 2/5 cartoon-level romance with cardboard-flat personalities.
Drama: 1.5/5 somehow made cocain overdoses with an underwater blowjob mask boring.
Weirdness: 3/5 time-travel empathy-octopode. Great! Have anything else to offer that's not a quip or badly written teen drama? No?
tl;dr 2/5
Had potential.
The pitch alone makes me want to set someone on fire.
Mostly out of boredom.
Emma, (one of the 5 protagonists, the book follows multiple points-of-view. I wrote a chart on the back of the cover. Not because it was particularly confusing, I was just too bored to be arsed), is stuck on an eerily remote island for our senior trip with her class. The teacher Mr. D (“call me Max”) is hiding something, her ex–best friend turned nemesis keeps stealing her candy, and plans boyfriend to lose her virginity.
But a dish made from a supposedly immortal octopus causes a temporal tantrum, literally ground-hog-daying, uncovering the back-stories and romantic plots trying to escape the loop. Here's the thing. The pitch is fun, it's mildly entertaining.
But somehow all dynamical drama just made it boring.
Several ratings:
1/5 for "relatability". Feels like it's for people in their 30s that fantasize about Euphoria, but without an able commentary on addiction. Claiming vomit, piss wrapped millennial nostalgia “meant for a Gen Z audience”. An avowed 'honest, emotional portrayal' of the dark side of teenage life. Not because it was true, but its al they remember the hazy vestiges of their faded youth.
It's fine to have nostalgia, not to colonize the youth and claim it was always yours.
Characters 2/5 cartoon-level romance with cardboard-flat personalities.
Drama: 1.5/5 somehow made cocain overdoses with an underwater blowjob mask boring.
Weirdness: 3/5 time-travel empathy-octopode. Great! Have anything else to offer that's not a quip or badly written teen drama? No?
tl;dr 2/5
Had potential.
August 29, 2024
Meet the new, updated version of a black R-rated teen comedy for the Euphoria generation, all set in the most strangest time loop I’ve fever-dreamt my way through.
So, our snarky and delightful Emma has one mission on her senior trip to a tropical island: get rid of her v-card before heading off to college. Only eating the best ceviche of her life turns out to be the biggest MISTAKE of her life because immortal octopus can leave you standing still in time once consumed. (Sybil is fine, her tentacle grows back, we were all horrified, here’s your warning that an animal was slightly maimed but is miraculously fine two minutes later.) It’s Friday, the day she failed to lose her virginity in the MOST spectacular (and ridiculous and kind of gross, and no, I will not elaborate) fashion over and over and over again. But now she can get it..right? Or she can watch her roomie steal her candy, question all her relationships and be stuck shucking oysters forever next to her bestie Louis and the horniest, most unique male character I’ve seen written in ages.
I have absolutely no idea how to rate this book properly…it felt like a fever dream. Do I think it has audience? Yes. Do I think I’m that audience? No. It’s a little too young (I mean, this is EntangledTeen and I graduated high school over a decade ago), a little too gross (just like, SO many bodily fluids— I’ve never seen a book with more vomit in my life), and a little too absurd/surreal. And if you can’t handle the occasional murder (don’t worry, it doesn’t stick), drug use, and downright gratuitous mentions of self-pleasure (sorry, couldn’t resist), this is probably not for you either. Teenage boys are gross. In fact, the age group for this feels quite narrow— old high school, but I’m not sure how many years beyond college you’d be completely engaged. And yet the combination of innocence and vulgarity, wild impulsive actions mixed with sudden adult realizations felt so true to a senior high school experience I hesitate to say anything should be changed. Not all books are meant to be universally loved, but I think this will be fiercely loved by those who click with it.
And that is because is parts were so well done. I often find time loops dull and repetitive: I read this in one day (okay, mostly because I just couldn’t look away— what NOW?), this NEVER came close to falling into that particular trap. It did do that thing where I’m not totally sure I got the ending; the curtain is never completely lifted, but it wouldn’t have been for our characters so, I guess I can’t complain as much as my curious little mind would like to. You will be shocked, you’ll never know what’s coming, you will question what this book is about. But…I think maybe I get it? Maybe it’s about the meaning of life. Maybe it’s about le petit mort. Maybe it’s about appreciating life and the time you have. Maybe it’s about how most teenage guys think with the wrong head most of the time. There’s carefully hidden and crafted symbolism that I think was slipped in there that was no mistake…regenerating limbs, placentas, a mommy feeding her kittens…zoom out and there’s more about creation being its own neverending time loop— if you want there to be. Then again, it could all be this author’s version of an elaborate senior prank. Who knows ANYTHING after reading this?
The voices of the teenagers themselves were possibly the best part: while the semi-stream of consciousness (not in an unreadable, unedited way, just in an ANYTHING GOES, wow these kids have NO filter kind of way) led to a wild reading experienc; I felt like I was IN the mind of these kids. One minute they were petty and self-indulgent and ridiculously out-of-touch, the next horrendously vulgar, and the next revealing a deep truth or having one of those you-can’t-unthink-it realizations that forever changes you just a bit and chips away one more tiny bit of your childhood. Don’t think for moment this means the writing was simplistic—these are teenage voices crafted by a GOOD writer. I will say was rather bothered by the teacher’s POV, I continually wished his voice been written significantly differently from the teenagers’ voices, but I don’t doubt the intentionality. Yes, his actions bothered me. But this island pulled him out of time and by the time we were reading his POV he’d been living without repercussions and playing chaperone for thousands of days: would he regress? Very. Possibly.
Universal complaint I think everyone can agree with: Sybil the octopus is darling and amazing and precious and not featured nearly enough. More Sybil, pretty please with absolutely no ceviche ingredients on top.
3.5 stars rounded up for originality, readability, making me laugh, and somehow keeping me from looking me away despite copious amounts of bodily fluids. And honestly, I really did feel like I was a senior the summer after high school for just a few minutes again here and there, and that’s pretty priceless— time loop indeed.
Side note: So, never eating octopus again, just in case but…house fave calamari is ALWAYS squid, right??
Thanks so much to EntangledTeen for my ARC, but all opinions are my own, and given how long this review was— no one has the kind of time to suggest I say all of this.
So, our snarky and delightful Emma has one mission on her senior trip to a tropical island: get rid of her v-card before heading off to college. Only eating the best ceviche of her life turns out to be the biggest MISTAKE of her life because immortal octopus can leave you standing still in time once consumed. (Sybil is fine, her tentacle grows back, we were all horrified, here’s your warning that an animal was slightly maimed but is miraculously fine two minutes later.) It’s Friday, the day she failed to lose her virginity in the MOST spectacular (and ridiculous and kind of gross, and no, I will not elaborate) fashion over and over and over again. But now she can get it..right? Or she can watch her roomie steal her candy, question all her relationships and be stuck shucking oysters forever next to her bestie Louis and the horniest, most unique male character I’ve seen written in ages.
I have absolutely no idea how to rate this book properly…it felt like a fever dream. Do I think it has audience? Yes. Do I think I’m that audience? No. It’s a little too young (I mean, this is EntangledTeen and I graduated high school over a decade ago), a little too gross (just like, SO many bodily fluids— I’ve never seen a book with more vomit in my life), and a little too absurd/surreal. And if you can’t handle the occasional murder (don’t worry, it doesn’t stick), drug use, and downright gratuitous mentions of self-pleasure (sorry, couldn’t resist), this is probably not for you either. Teenage boys are gross. In fact, the age group for this feels quite narrow— old high school, but I’m not sure how many years beyond college you’d be completely engaged. And yet the combination of innocence and vulgarity, wild impulsive actions mixed with sudden adult realizations felt so true to a senior high school experience I hesitate to say anything should be changed. Not all books are meant to be universally loved, but I think this will be fiercely loved by those who click with it.
And that is because is parts were so well done. I often find time loops dull and repetitive: I read this in one day (okay, mostly because I just couldn’t look away— what NOW?), this NEVER came close to falling into that particular trap. It did do that thing where I’m not totally sure I got the ending; the curtain is never completely lifted, but it wouldn’t have been for our characters so, I guess I can’t complain as much as my curious little mind would like to. You will be shocked, you’ll never know what’s coming, you will question what this book is about. But…I think maybe I get it? Maybe it’s about the meaning of life. Maybe it’s about le petit mort. Maybe it’s about appreciating life and the time you have. Maybe it’s about how most teenage guys think with the wrong head most of the time. There’s carefully hidden and crafted symbolism that I think was slipped in there that was no mistake…regenerating limbs, placentas, a mommy feeding her kittens…zoom out and there’s more about creation being its own neverending time loop— if you want there to be. Then again, it could all be this author’s version of an elaborate senior prank. Who knows ANYTHING after reading this?
The voices of the teenagers themselves were possibly the best part: while the semi-stream of consciousness (not in an unreadable, unedited way, just in an ANYTHING GOES, wow these kids have NO filter kind of way) led to a wild reading experienc; I felt like I was IN the mind of these kids. One minute they were petty and self-indulgent and ridiculously out-of-touch, the next horrendously vulgar, and the next revealing a deep truth or having one of those you-can’t-unthink-it realizations that forever changes you just a bit and chips away one more tiny bit of your childhood. Don’t think for moment this means the writing was simplistic—these are teenage voices crafted by a GOOD writer. I will say was rather bothered by the teacher’s POV, I continually wished his voice been written significantly differently from the teenagers’ voices, but I don’t doubt the intentionality. Yes, his actions bothered me. But this island pulled him out of time and by the time we were reading his POV he’d been living without repercussions and playing chaperone for thousands of days: would he regress? Very. Possibly.
Universal complaint I think everyone can agree with: Sybil the octopus is darling and amazing and precious and not featured nearly enough. More Sybil, pretty please with absolutely no ceviche ingredients on top.
3.5 stars rounded up for originality, readability, making me laugh, and somehow keeping me from looking me away despite copious amounts of bodily fluids. And honestly, I really did feel like I was a senior the summer after high school for just a few minutes again here and there, and that’s pretty priceless— time loop indeed.
Side note: So, never eating octopus again, just in case but…house fave calamari is ALWAYS squid, right??
Thanks so much to EntangledTeen for my ARC, but all opinions are my own, and given how long this review was— no one has the kind of time to suggest I say all of this.
September 2, 2024
I don’t know wtf I just read, but somehow I couldn’t stop reading it. This book is not for everyone and I don’t even think I can recommend it unless you like weird books. This was over-the-top crazy and bizarre and strange. As I said, I still don’t know what I read. I somehow really liked it…I think. At least I wanted to know what would happen with everyone. Also the hardcover of this book was probably the best feeling book I have ever read. Like the pages and cover felt so good to hold and turn the pages. Whatever material they used was amazing and all books should be made out of it. Anyways, I really enjoyed this one, but I don’t think everyone will. It’s one of those books that you will either love or hate. The best way I can describe this book is an immortal octopus, a time-loop, and some crazy teenagers.
September 22, 2024
Entertaining, funny, and a little confusing. This started off slow but picked up halfway through. Emma is wanting to lose her virginity but is stuck in a time loop because of a magical octopus. There are still many unanswered questions I have but maybe that’s all part of the mystery?? Definitely more of an upper YA read.
Thank you to Entangled and the author for the gifted copy.
Thank you to Entangled and the author for the gifted copy.
February 2, 2025
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: infidelity, ALS, harm of an animal, suffocation & drowning, drug abuse, sexual based traumas, violence & death by choking, toxic parent, mentioned body shaming of a child
3.8
This book is weird as hell.
It's a wacky, unique, and definitely interesting take on time loops. I'd certainly classify this as bizarro, and it seems to have a lot of fun with that. It also makes it easy to pick it up and just plain forget to put it down. Along with that, being so weird makes it have plenty of funny moment. There were laugh out loud moments that really surprised me, and kept me having some version of fun.
I also absolutely started this book hating every single person- not always a bad thing, in my opinion- but through the totally odd, oversaturated, overdramatized plot, they somehow all become well rounded feeling human beings. Likable people? Not all of them. But that's beside the point.
This book is also way raunchier than I'd expected, for being a YA. It was over the line for me as a person, though I'm sure not for all. This landed in a weird territory of "I'd feel really uncomfortable actively recommending this to anyone in the target audience's age range, but I'm also very sure that a lot of the target age range will go nuts for how unabashedly it talks about things like being so obsessed with blow jobs you suffocate yourself".
Writing wise, I didn't like the ending, because it didn't feel satisfying to me. It didn't give me enough for it to feel solid.
There's also just a ton left unexplored. While the side characters all get their spotlight, none of them get to have that with the amount of space needed for it to feel complete. And while the time loop gets explained,
Pre-review comments below
well. this was a lot.
TW: infidelity, ALS, harm of an animal, suffocation & drowning, drug abuse, sexual based traumas, violence & death by choking, toxic parent, mentioned body shaming of a child
3.8
This book is weird as hell.
It's a wacky, unique, and definitely interesting take on time loops. I'd certainly classify this as bizarro, and it seems to have a lot of fun with that. It also makes it easy to pick it up and just plain forget to put it down. Along with that, being so weird makes it have plenty of funny moment. There were laugh out loud moments that really surprised me, and kept me having some version of fun.
I also absolutely started this book hating every single person- not always a bad thing, in my opinion- but through the totally odd, oversaturated, overdramatized plot, they somehow all become well rounded feeling human beings. Likable people? Not all of them. But that's beside the point.
This book is also way raunchier than I'd expected, for being a YA. It was over the line for me as a person, though I'm sure not for all. This landed in a weird territory of "I'd feel really uncomfortable actively recommending this to anyone in the target audience's age range, but I'm also very sure that a lot of the target age range will go nuts for how unabashedly it talks about things like being so obsessed with blow jobs you suffocate yourself".
Writing wise, I didn't like the ending, because it didn't feel satisfying to me. It didn't give me enough for it to feel solid.
There's also just a ton left unexplored. While the side characters all get their spotlight, none of them get to have that with the amount of space needed for it to feel complete. And while the time loop gets explained,
Pre-review comments below
well. this was a lot.
October 23, 2024
Let me be VERY clear when I say.. there is NOTHING young adult (YA) about this damn book lmao. I defly think they should take that categorization away IMMEDIATELY and keep it as new adult (NA). I’m surprised it got this far being in that categorization when they talk about sex, dicks, and blowjobs on damn near every page.
I just don’t think I was the intended audience for this. Did I laugh out loud sometimes? Yeah. I did. And that’s the only thing that had me finishing it, besides the audiobook. The authors note gave me some good context not to take this seriously but it’s not what I expected AT ALL. I genuinely would only tell people to read this so they can laugh and ask themselves “Wtf am i reading” the entire book. Other than that? Absolutely not. You’re either gonna absolutely love this or absolutely hate it.
I’m kinda sad because the concept of the time loop and how it works with the octopus is actually really dope. I wish this author would take the same concept and write a more .. serious book lol. I really think her ideas would EAT DOWN with the whole time loop octopus vibes.
Like I said, I just don’t think I was the target audience and I can defly see why some people thoroughly enjoy this. But, it just wasn’t for me.
I just don’t think I was the intended audience for this. Did I laugh out loud sometimes? Yeah. I did. And that’s the only thing that had me finishing it, besides the audiobook. The authors note gave me some good context not to take this seriously but it’s not what I expected AT ALL. I genuinely would only tell people to read this so they can laugh and ask themselves “Wtf am i reading” the entire book. Other than that? Absolutely not. You’re either gonna absolutely love this or absolutely hate it.
I’m kinda sad because the concept of the time loop and how it works with the octopus is actually really dope. I wish this author would take the same concept and write a more .. serious book lol. I really think her ideas would EAT DOWN with the whole time loop octopus vibes.
Like I said, I just don’t think I was the target audience and I can defly see why some people thoroughly enjoy this. But, it just wasn’t for me.
September 5, 2024
Hands down the weirdest book I've ever read...and not in a good way. I'd love to have a conversation with this author about how she imagined this time loop scenario because I'm CONFUSED.
August 23, 2024
Emma receives a call before she leaves for her trip with her friends of someone calling her Gizmo and telling her not to leave on the trip. They tell her to ask Mom, and she does, who then reminds her that Gizmo was their family code word when they were younger.
Wondering about this call, Emma still goes on the senior class trip to a remote island with her friends. Where she gets stuck in a time loop. Guess she should have listened to that call!
This is a terrible way to describe this book, but it made me think of Knives Out Glass Onion being on a remote island with a few people who essentially despise each other and yet tolerate each other and there’s sort of a mystery involved to it, but make it a bunch of horny teenagers stuck in a time loop that leaves more questions than answers. It’s a terrible description, but Knives Out popped up in my mind while reading this, and there is “murder” in this book too so 🤷🏼♀️
I was very excited to be accepted to get an arc for this book because it sounded so good, and funny. And I love the concept of time and give me any book about time and I’ll read it. I kind of wish I didn’t read this one 😅
What I enjoyed is the different take on time and a time loop. If I understood it correctly, those in the time loop, were essentially stuck in an alternate time dimension of that same day, but the dimension changed each time? It’s hard to explain how I viewed it because it was very difficult to understand what was going on and I just had an idea that formed in my mind that worked for me.
Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship that developed slowly between Louis and Emma. It’s obvious they love each other, they just refuse to acknowledge it. Stubborn teenagers. And I loved how it came about and that part I think was well done.
That’s about all I enjoyed. This book is very crass, vulgar and disgusting. It’s supposed to be a comedy, but I never laughed because it was just gross. I didn’t like any of the kids, even though I liked the one relationship that developed, I honestly didn’t like any of them except for maybe Louis, but that’s a big maybe. Things happened in here that I think were supposed to be considered growth for the kids which I guess a few of them “grew”, but they were still disgusting. I’ve never read a book that was so gross 😅 and I finished the book with more questions than answers.
Slight spoiler….
I am all for open endings, but this answered NOTHING for me. I don’t know if I was supposed to understand how this time loop was happening or how to end it, or if it just never ends. I just would like to understand what the author’s idea was and I don’t know. I wouldn’t be able to explain what the author’s idea was on how this time loop works because it was NEVER explained.
I keep changing my rating because obviously thought went into this book, but what resulted was kind of a mess.
I’m going to go ahead and stick with 2 ⭐️ I only enjoyed like two things and one of them is just because I like time. If you’re interested, I would totally read it. I think this book is for certain kinds of people who may enjoy this type of “humor”, and I’m just not one of them. You might enjoy it!
Oh I do love the cover, so it does have that going for it!
I received a gifted e-arc to read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Wondering about this call, Emma still goes on the senior class trip to a remote island with her friends. Where she gets stuck in a time loop. Guess she should have listened to that call!
This is a terrible way to describe this book, but it made me think of Knives Out Glass Onion being on a remote island with a few people who essentially despise each other and yet tolerate each other and there’s sort of a mystery involved to it, but make it a bunch of horny teenagers stuck in a time loop that leaves more questions than answers. It’s a terrible description, but Knives Out popped up in my mind while reading this, and there is “murder” in this book too so 🤷🏼♀️
I was very excited to be accepted to get an arc for this book because it sounded so good, and funny. And I love the concept of time and give me any book about time and I’ll read it. I kind of wish I didn’t read this one 😅
What I enjoyed is the different take on time and a time loop. If I understood it correctly, those in the time loop, were essentially stuck in an alternate time dimension of that same day, but the dimension changed each time? It’s hard to explain how I viewed it because it was very difficult to understand what was going on and I just had an idea that formed in my mind that worked for me.
Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship that developed slowly between Louis and Emma. It’s obvious they love each other, they just refuse to acknowledge it. Stubborn teenagers. And I loved how it came about and that part I think was well done.
That’s about all I enjoyed. This book is very crass, vulgar and disgusting. It’s supposed to be a comedy, but I never laughed because it was just gross. I didn’t like any of the kids, even though I liked the one relationship that developed, I honestly didn’t like any of them except for maybe Louis, but that’s a big maybe. Things happened in here that I think were supposed to be considered growth for the kids which I guess a few of them “grew”, but they were still disgusting. I’ve never read a book that was so gross 😅 and I finished the book with more questions than answers.
Slight spoiler….
I am all for open endings, but this answered NOTHING for me. I don’t know if I was supposed to understand how this time loop was happening or how to end it, or if it just never ends. I just would like to understand what the author’s idea was and I don’t know. I wouldn’t be able to explain what the author’s idea was on how this time loop works because it was NEVER explained.
I keep changing my rating because obviously thought went into this book, but what resulted was kind of a mess.
I’m going to go ahead and stick with 2 ⭐️ I only enjoyed like two things and one of them is just because I like time. If you’re interested, I would totally read it. I think this book is for certain kinds of people who may enjoy this type of “humor”, and I’m just not one of them. You might enjoy it!
Oh I do love the cover, so it does have that going for it!
I received a gifted e-arc to read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 10, 2024
WTF did I just read?? I almost DNF this book at page 86. Why? Because quite frankly, I got sick and tired of the gloominess, selfishness, talks and thoughts of sex all the time. The teacher was equally dismissive and deplorable, and depressing. However, it’s like watching the train wreck ready to happen and you can do nothing but watch in horror. This exactly what is. You want to know what happens at the end because you like the idea of the plot, right? Wrong! I want answers! There were a lot left unsaid.
There were some parts that were numerous.
This isn’t really for teenagers because it’s pretty graphic where it may be very triggering for some.
Why did I even finished the book?😭😭
Thank you for providing me a copy of eARC.
As usual, all of my reviews are purely my own opinions without any influence from any publisher.
There were some parts that were numerous.
This isn’t really for teenagers because it’s pretty graphic where it may be very triggering for some.
Why did I even finished the book?😭😭
Thank you for providing me a copy of eARC.
As usual, all of my reviews are purely my own opinions without any influence from any publisher.
September 21, 2024
I LOVED this!!!! It was SO unrealistic, but I didn’t care in the slightest! An octopus that puts you in a forever time loop. Yes please!! There is a warning at the beginning that says it’s unrealistic and over the top! All the reviews on Goodreads must not have taken that into account. So much fun!
September 25, 2024
I received an PR package and an eARC of this book via Brittany, Entangled Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.
My thoughts on this book are about as jumbled as trying to figure out what categories to list this book in. Was it a romance? Not exactly. There were some romantic elements if you would really call them that. A retelling? Eh, the author seemed to take inspiration from the Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day, but that's about it. Young Adult? Honestly, I don't think so. Yes, there are some elements that YA can relate to but there was also a lot of very adult content. Also what is with the author and her fascination with rim jobs and Mister Roger? That was too weird for me.
And that ending? If you can really call it an ending. I had more questions that I do answers. It felt like my book was missing pages. While this book did keep me engaged most of the way through, there was a multitude of detracts such as the ones listed above and the excessive amount of POVs. There was way too many POVs for absolutely no reason.
Did I love this book? No. Hard no. But did I hate this book? No, not really. In my blog I compared it to the new Coke Zero Oreo. I don't hate it but it's an assault on my senses that I would have to get used to.
Full review: https://medium.com/@briannashrout/rep...
My thoughts on this book are about as jumbled as trying to figure out what categories to list this book in. Was it a romance? Not exactly. There were some romantic elements if you would really call them that. A retelling? Eh, the author seemed to take inspiration from the Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day, but that's about it. Young Adult? Honestly, I don't think so. Yes, there are some elements that YA can relate to but there was also a lot of very adult content. Also what is with the author and her fascination with rim jobs and Mister Roger? That was too weird for me.
And that ending? If you can really call it an ending. I had more questions that I do answers. It felt like my book was missing pages. While this book did keep me engaged most of the way through, there was a multitude of detracts such as the ones listed above and the excessive amount of POVs. There was way too many POVs for absolutely no reason.
Did I love this book? No. Hard no. But did I hate this book? No, not really. In my blog I compared it to the new Coke Zero Oreo. I don't hate it but it's an assault on my senses that I would have to get used to.
Full review: https://medium.com/@briannashrout/rep...
January 9, 2025
Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the gifted copy.
This book is extremely juvenile and constantly talking about sex related topics. It was kinda annoying. It is about a senior class going on a field trip, but all it was is each character talking about random things.
I couldn’t grasp what was going on because there were so many different POVs. I don’t even know what you can label this book as. It was a lot of nothing.
I had to stop in the book numerous times and debate if I wanted to continue. Other reviews said it was hilarious, but I didn’t find it entertaining enough. There were some parts that were funny and gave me a chuckle, but other times I was thinking “what even is going on???”
This book is extremely juvenile and constantly talking about sex related topics. It was kinda annoying. It is about a senior class going on a field trip, but all it was is each character talking about random things.
I couldn’t grasp what was going on because there were so many different POVs. I don’t even know what you can label this book as. It was a lot of nothing.
I had to stop in the book numerous times and debate if I wanted to continue. Other reviews said it was hilarious, but I didn’t find it entertaining enough. There were some parts that were funny and gave me a chuckle, but other times I was thinking “what even is going on???”
September 10, 2024
Jessica Warman is a new to me author. The blurb for Repeat After Me had me really intrigued. In retrospect, I should have paid closer attention to the words. My focus was on repeating the same day over and over again. You know like those movies Groundhog Day and 50 First Dates. Somewhere along the way, it hit me that I never saw those movies. Meaning I had no idea what to truly expect.
For starters, Repeat After Me is an upper YA Fantasy. I mean really upper. This story is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Interpret that statement however you wish. This is a WILD story, told from the viewpoint of multiple characters who either desperately want to fit in, act holier than thou, are vain, or are more shallow than a lagoon.
Repeat After Me mainly focuses on eighteen-year-old Emma Davidson who along with several other students and a chaperone from Xavier Academy are on their senior trip to a remote island where only a supposed billionaire and his daughter reside. There is no wifi or cell service. The nearest hospital is an hour away by boat. This isn’t a trip where they all get to relax and just lay on the beach all day. Nope. There isn’t a five-star hotel in sight. The group will spend their days shucking oysters, cleaning up whatever washes up on the beach, and just being pretty much bored. Their nights will be spent in grimy bungalows with no a/c.
Despite all of that, Emma has big plans with her boyfriend. Before those plans can come to fruition, Emma meets and has a taste of an octopus that changes her life. Now, Emma finds herself repeating the same day over and over again.
Repeat After Me is going to be one of those stories that you either love or hate. I myself finished the book and wondered what I had just read. I do strangely love that Jessica has a crazy imagination and comes up with the most off-the-wall things to have her characters say and do. H2Blow? Seriously?
When I sit back and think about Repeat After Me and toss out all of the CRAZY actions and insane commentary, for me, I was left with something that makes a whole lot of sense. Being a teenager is hard. And there are times that you are so focused on the future, being an adult, finishing highschool, and trying to fit in with the "right" group of people that you lose sight of what this time in life is truly about. You think the most unimportant thing is all that matters, and yeah, it's important, because it's important to you. But is it really important to the you you're going to be in 6 months to a year? Repeat After Me tries to get Emma to see just that.
~ Favorite Quotes ~
“Some things are so special, you can’t put a price on them.”
“Nobody actually knows anybody as well as they think they do.”
“It’s scary to let yourself be vulnerable.”
“Life is full of miracles.”
**Received a copy of the book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.**
For starters, Repeat After Me is an upper YA Fantasy. I mean really upper. This story is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Interpret that statement however you wish. This is a WILD story, told from the viewpoint of multiple characters who either desperately want to fit in, act holier than thou, are vain, or are more shallow than a lagoon.
Repeat After Me mainly focuses on eighteen-year-old Emma Davidson who along with several other students and a chaperone from Xavier Academy are on their senior trip to a remote island where only a supposed billionaire and his daughter reside. There is no wifi or cell service. The nearest hospital is an hour away by boat. This isn’t a trip where they all get to relax and just lay on the beach all day. Nope. There isn’t a five-star hotel in sight. The group will spend their days shucking oysters, cleaning up whatever washes up on the beach, and just being pretty much bored. Their nights will be spent in grimy bungalows with no a/c.
Despite all of that, Emma has big plans with her boyfriend. Before those plans can come to fruition, Emma meets and has a taste of an octopus that changes her life. Now, Emma finds herself repeating the same day over and over again.
Repeat After Me is going to be one of those stories that you either love or hate. I myself finished the book and wondered what I had just read. I do strangely love that Jessica has a crazy imagination and comes up with the most off-the-wall things to have her characters say and do. H2Blow? Seriously?
When I sit back and think about Repeat After Me and toss out all of the CRAZY actions and insane commentary, for me, I was left with something that makes a whole lot of sense. Being a teenager is hard. And there are times that you are so focused on the future, being an adult, finishing highschool, and trying to fit in with the "right" group of people that you lose sight of what this time in life is truly about. You think the most unimportant thing is all that matters, and yeah, it's important, because it's important to you. But is it really important to the you you're going to be in 6 months to a year? Repeat After Me tries to get Emma to see just that.
~ Favorite Quotes ~
“Some things are so special, you can’t put a price on them.”
“Nobody actually knows anybody as well as they think they do.”
“It’s scary to let yourself be vulnerable.”
“Life is full of miracles.”
**Received a copy of the book from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.**
February 15, 2025
Everything and everyone in this book is psychotic. 10/10
December 29, 2024
This book is a wild ride featuring a snarky protagonist, Emma, who ends up in a bizarre time loop during a senior trip to a tropical island. Despite a promising premise, the execution leaves mixed feelings.
Emma’s mission to lose her virginity takes an unexpected turn when she consumes cursed ceviche, trapping her in a time loop where she endlessly relives a disastrous Friday. The book aims for humor but is heavily reliant on crude and vulgar content, which often left me saying WTF?! as opposed to laughing. This may appeal more towards a younger audience.
The relationship between Emma and Louis is a highlight, showing genuine growth. However, the other characters are mostly unlikable and their development is overshadowed by the book’s focus on Brad and his shock value.
Overall, the book is really original and entertaining with its many WTF moments but this will definitely not suit everyone’s tastes. If you enjoy absurd humor, then this book could be worth a read.
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Emma’s mission to lose her virginity takes an unexpected turn when she consumes cursed ceviche, trapping her in a time loop where she endlessly relives a disastrous Friday. The book aims for humor but is heavily reliant on crude and vulgar content, which often left me saying WTF?! as opposed to laughing. This may appeal more towards a younger audience.
The relationship between Emma and Louis is a highlight, showing genuine growth. However, the other characters are mostly unlikable and their development is overshadowed by the book’s focus on Brad and his shock value.
Overall, the book is really original and entertaining with its many WTF moments but this will definitely not suit everyone’s tastes. If you enjoy absurd humor, then this book could be worth a read.
September 19, 2024
Repeat After Me
by Jessica Warman
Thank you so much partner @bookedwiththeemilys @entangledteen for the gifted copy!
Blurb:
In retrospect, I probably should have passed on the ceviche.
I mean, ceviche is delicious, don’t get me wrong. But a dish made from a supposedly immortal octopus should really come with a warning label. Caution: consuming a telepathic sea creature of unknown origin may result in immortality, no consequences to any actions, and getting stuck in a time loop for all of eternity.
Now every morning I wake up, and it’s the same Friday all over again. Same annoying classmates. Same island suspended in time by an evil oyster farmer with a God complex. somehow—in some ridiculous way—I feel like I’m experiencing the extraordinary, the gift of endless opportunities to get things right. But when I wake up every morning and it’s Friday again, sometimes it feels more like a never-ending prison sentence. They say some things are worse than death... ...guess I’m about to find out.
🐙 ⏰My thoughts:
Well that was WILD. I read this book so fast and I was laughing pretty much the entire time. It felt like an American Pie and 50 First Dates mashup but real heavy on the American Pie part. It was absolutely absurd and ridiculous yet I couldn’t put it down. There’s something about the way this was written that rang so true and authentic to the late high school experience that I couldn’t help but connect to these crazy teens. But also low key being afraid of my sons reaching this age. Lord help me. I loved the magical realism (if we can call it that)/time loop aspects of this book and the insanity this story had me endure. You’ve got your modern day Stifler in this one! And although this is targeted for YA, us older generation can find some nostalgia within these pages as well. This book is not for the faint of heart for many reasons but let’s just say there’s a lot of dates with Pamela Handerson… except it’s not a hand, in this book it’s called the H2Blow. I am still laughing over it. Repeat After Me is out now!
Happy reading 📖 🐙⏰
by Jessica Warman
Thank you so much partner @bookedwiththeemilys @entangledteen for the gifted copy!
Blurb:
In retrospect, I probably should have passed on the ceviche.
I mean, ceviche is delicious, don’t get me wrong. But a dish made from a supposedly immortal octopus should really come with a warning label. Caution: consuming a telepathic sea creature of unknown origin may result in immortality, no consequences to any actions, and getting stuck in a time loop for all of eternity.
Now every morning I wake up, and it’s the same Friday all over again. Same annoying classmates. Same island suspended in time by an evil oyster farmer with a God complex. somehow—in some ridiculous way—I feel like I’m experiencing the extraordinary, the gift of endless opportunities to get things right. But when I wake up every morning and it’s Friday again, sometimes it feels more like a never-ending prison sentence. They say some things are worse than death... ...guess I’m about to find out.
🐙 ⏰My thoughts:
Well that was WILD. I read this book so fast and I was laughing pretty much the entire time. It felt like an American Pie and 50 First Dates mashup but real heavy on the American Pie part. It was absolutely absurd and ridiculous yet I couldn’t put it down. There’s something about the way this was written that rang so true and authentic to the late high school experience that I couldn’t help but connect to these crazy teens. But also low key being afraid of my sons reaching this age. Lord help me. I loved the magical realism (if we can call it that)/time loop aspects of this book and the insanity this story had me endure. You’ve got your modern day Stifler in this one! And although this is targeted for YA, us older generation can find some nostalgia within these pages as well. This book is not for the faint of heart for many reasons but let’s just say there’s a lot of dates with Pamela Handerson… except it’s not a hand, in this book it’s called the H2Blow. I am still laughing over it. Repeat After Me is out now!
Happy reading 📖 🐙⏰
August 21, 2025
4⭐️ 📖🌷
.
i am so confused.
i didnt follow like half of the things that happened in this book and the ending threw me off
but i still liked it bc its was kinda crazy
and fun
characters were crazy, and i honestly can’t imagine a single one of them in my head (other then alison and gus)
yeah so this book was a weird and crazy read but like in a good way yk
luv yall
-charlotte
.
i am so confused.
i didnt follow like half of the things that happened in this book and the ending threw me off
but i still liked it bc its was kinda crazy
and fun
characters were crazy, and i honestly can’t imagine a single one of them in my head (other then alison and gus)
yeah so this book was a weird and crazy read but like in a good way yk
luv yall
-charlotte
May 18, 2025
What did I just read? That was a wild ride.
June 21, 2025
DNF. WHY THE FUCK IS THIS LABELLED AS YA WHEN IT MOST DEFINITELY IS NOT.
September 16, 2024
This was a fun interesting read. I enjoyed the plot a fun summer read I found myself giggling a few times. The ending however didn’t make sense to me it kind of abruptly ended. Other than that I really enjoyed reading this one.
September 1, 2024
This book will not be for everyone but I really dug it.
It’s so different and different is great.
Full review soon on my IG @ladybug_shirls ❤️
It’s so different and different is great.
Full review soon on my IG @ladybug_shirls ❤️
July 15, 2025
I was tempted to give this two stars but the loss of potential and the anger it makes me feel gives it a one.
I’m really disappointed in this book it has such a cool concept and it was squandered by nonsense. To be clear, I love weird books they are one of my favorite kinds of reads. But this book wasn’t weird with a point it was just weird and icky. The first part was good, I thought the characters were fine and they all acted generally like teenagers, however it all fell apart after part two.
Honestly, I wish this was told in Max’s point of view and was an adult novel, I think this would have been more interesting a a better read because I had more reason to be upset and crave the time loop. But no, we had to have the teens heads and boy did they such. Other than Louis I hated everyone, it was funny at times and that was when the plot would pick up then the author would add some icky, weird, or raunchy thing to it that was completely meaningless and spoil it. Like what was the point of mentioning Nazis 4-5 times in the books and the dog scene?!? What was the point!
I described this book as plotful plotlessness and I stick by it. Things happen in the book but it isn’t anything meaningful. Things that might have been good to discuss when left completely out of weren’t explored. The queer themes in the book were grossly underutilized and the things that were mentioned in the synopsis like the immortal octopus was practically null. I think theirs a way to write weird without being disgustingly. And part of that is to make sure the weird makes sense in the end. I understand leaving the reader in the dark like the characters but if you’re gonna do it do it fully and don’t undermine your own ending!!
The only reason I finished this was to say I did it an warn people away from this book. You may like this if you like weird for the sake of it but if not I would stay away from this book.
I’m really disappointed in this book it has such a cool concept and it was squandered by nonsense. To be clear, I love weird books they are one of my favorite kinds of reads. But this book wasn’t weird with a point it was just weird and icky. The first part was good, I thought the characters were fine and they all acted generally like teenagers, however it all fell apart after part two.
Honestly, I wish this was told in Max’s point of view and was an adult novel, I think this would have been more interesting a a better read because I had more reason to be upset and crave the time loop. But no, we had to have the teens heads and boy did they such. Other than Louis I hated everyone, it was funny at times and that was when the plot would pick up then the author would add some icky, weird, or raunchy thing to it that was completely meaningless and spoil it. Like what was the point of mentioning Nazis 4-5 times in the books and the dog scene?!? What was the point!
I described this book as plotful plotlessness and I stick by it. Things happen in the book but it isn’t anything meaningful. Things that might have been good to discuss when left completely out of weren’t explored. The queer themes in the book were grossly underutilized and the things that were mentioned in the synopsis like the immortal octopus was practically null. I think theirs a way to write weird without being disgustingly. And part of that is to make sure the weird makes sense in the end. I understand leaving the reader in the dark like the characters but if you’re gonna do it do it fully and don’t undermine your own ending!!
The only reason I finished this was to say I did it an warn people away from this book. You may like this if you like weird for the sake of it but if not I would stay away from this book.
September 12, 2024
I think this was supposed to be funny more than anything? Like, that was the primary driving force and it just wasn't my sense of humor. It also meant that everything else was--Okay, so the humor (which I think was the point) got acting coaches, endless practice run-throughs, voice lessons, etc., it was the star of the show, and it was performing on a stage held together with like six nails, smooshed into shape by a person who had only ever heard a stage described, and with a cell phone flashlight taped to a beam as the primary source of illumination.
That's not to say it was poorly written or anything. Writing-wise, it was fine. There's definitely skill there. But that's not how I think anyone would act in any situation. And I think that's not the point, right? The "funny" is the point. But I can't get past how..... none of that seems like anything anyone would do ever. That's not how people's brains do, y'know? *coughs*
Anyway, YMMV but this one was super not for me and the only reason it's not at one star is because I think I just disliked it so much because it's so not my cup of tea and not because it failed at what it was trying to do - I think it actually probably completely succeeded at what it was trying to do. I just hated what it was doing, lol.
That's not to say it was poorly written or anything. Writing-wise, it was fine. There's definitely skill there. But that's not how I think anyone would act in any situation. And I think that's not the point, right? The "funny" is the point. But I can't get past how..... none of that seems like anything anyone would do ever. That's not how people's brains do, y'know? *coughs*
Anyway, YMMV but this one was super not for me and the only reason it's not at one star is because I think I just disliked it so much because it's so not my cup of tea and not because it failed at what it was trying to do - I think it actually probably completely succeeded at what it was trying to do. I just hated what it was doing, lol.
September 25, 2024
Looking for a tale that will turn your mind upside down? Maybe even confuse you a bit? Throw in some teen angst? Well then you got yourself Repeat After Me. This wild, insanity of a satire will have you going… wow maybe my high school experience really was… real? Jessica Warman takes us on an insane ride of the high school experience but with the element of time travel thrown in, making this one of the most chaotic reads I have ever read. It's a pure masterpiece, forcing the main character to deal with the issues at hand head on, leading to a journey of self discovery, all thrown into a vat and turned on its head when a magical cephalopod enters the chat.
Readers will feel like they are in the front seat for this journey, right alongside our characters as they relive the strangest day of the strangest field trip ever, with some unseen twists and turns along the way. Warman has done an excellent job bringing the experience to the forefront with even the supporting characters taking a starring role at times. This book had me laughing, crying and wanting to throw it(no books were harmed while reading) and wanting to be in the story the whole way through. I highly recommend it if you are in a reading slump or if you are really just looking for a good, chaotic time.
Readers will feel like they are in the front seat for this journey, right alongside our characters as they relive the strangest day of the strangest field trip ever, with some unseen twists and turns along the way. Warman has done an excellent job bringing the experience to the forefront with even the supporting characters taking a starring role at times. This book had me laughing, crying and wanting to throw it(no books were harmed while reading) and wanting to be in the story the whole way through. I highly recommend it if you are in a reading slump or if you are really just looking for a good, chaotic time.
October 6, 2024
From the moment Emma goes on her senior trip, she knows something is wrong. Even though her only goal is to finally lose her virginity to her boyfriend Auggie, Emma picks up on odd little details about the people she's having the trip with. After eating a ceviche made from an Immortal octopus, Emma is forced to relive the horrible Friday it all went wrong and she has to find for a solution to go home again.
This book is like a horrible, teenage fever dream and honestly I cannot be bothered to write a full-ass review. I was hoping this would be like the 50 First Dates movie that I saw when I was younger, but this book was more like one big penis joke and at times it was so gross that I had to put this book down for a couple of days. The characters are not funny, the story goes nowhere and in the ending I found the ending non-existing. They describe this book as thought-provoking, but the only though I had was that I want to throw this book straight in the trash. Hell no, please save yourself some money and buy a different book on your list.
This book is like a horrible, teenage fever dream and honestly I cannot be bothered to write a full-ass review. I was hoping this would be like the 50 First Dates movie that I saw when I was younger, but this book was more like one big penis joke and at times it was so gross that I had to put this book down for a couple of days. The characters are not funny, the story goes nowhere and in the ending I found the ending non-existing. They describe this book as thought-provoking, but the only though I had was that I want to throw this book straight in the trash. Hell no, please save yourself some money and buy a different book on your list.
June 21, 2025
Well this book was just bizarre to say the least. Found myself going wtf multiple times, and laughing my butt off. It’s super crude, and dark with lots of mature themes. It’s just a book that’s a bit hard to describe with out someone thinking you’re crazy for even picking it up to read!
This is labeled YA but it’s definitely upper YA (depending on maturity but I wouldn’t go lower than 16 for sure and even
That might be pushing it) as the subjects done and mentioned in this book are quite mature. Lots of s*xual things going on as well so something to keep in mind! Also don’t think I’ll be able to eat Ceviche with out thinking about Sybil the octopus 😅
Don’t go into this thinking it’s some literary masterpiece, this is just pure, unserious entertainment! It is labeled as satire so the characters are definitely written in the extremes of their personalities
Please make sure to check the triggers for this!
This is labeled YA but it’s definitely upper YA (depending on maturity but I wouldn’t go lower than 16 for sure and even
That might be pushing it) as the subjects done and mentioned in this book are quite mature. Lots of s*xual things going on as well so something to keep in mind! Also don’t think I’ll be able to eat Ceviche with out thinking about Sybil the octopus 😅
Don’t go into this thinking it’s some literary masterpiece, this is just pure, unserious entertainment! It is labeled as satire so the characters are definitely written in the extremes of their personalities
Please make sure to check the triggers for this!
September 4, 2024
I was able to read an ARC of Repeat After Me. The first thing I want to say about it is that I couldn't put it down. I want to be entertained by books and this book definitely checks that box.
My suggestion is to take notes for the first 100 pages. The POV changes each chapter and at first it's really difficult to keep track of every character. After that, this book is a wild ride.
My biggest complaint is that the story line that was most interesting in this book was barely touched on. I think it could have been the main focus of the book and it would have been better overall. My other complaint is the very abrupt end. It left me with more questions than answers.
That being said, I was surprised by how many of the characters reminded me of people I went to high school with. To me, even though it is, at times, over the top, it's a decent representation of what teenagers would do if consequences were eliminated.
My other comment on Repeat After Me is that it really shouldn't be intended for teens to read. It's decently explicit in parts.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It's certainly is a unique take on the Groundhogs Day storyline. If you like that genre, and don't mind explicit content, this book may be for you.
My suggestion is to take notes for the first 100 pages. The POV changes each chapter and at first it's really difficult to keep track of every character. After that, this book is a wild ride.
My biggest complaint is that the story line that was most interesting in this book was barely touched on. I think it could have been the main focus of the book and it would have been better overall. My other complaint is the very abrupt end. It left me with more questions than answers.
That being said, I was surprised by how many of the characters reminded me of people I went to high school with. To me, even though it is, at times, over the top, it's a decent representation of what teenagers would do if consequences were eliminated.
My other comment on Repeat After Me is that it really shouldn't be intended for teens to read. It's decently explicit in parts.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It's certainly is a unique take on the Groundhogs Day storyline. If you like that genre, and don't mind explicit content, this book may be for you.
September 17, 2024
4 stars for entertainment value throughout, but I won't soon be getting over the question of, "Why Gizmo?" Because why Gizmo?
I knew who probably uttered that name in the prologue upon first reading, but I thought the novel would eventually answer the question of why that name was used as we went along.
If it did, it blew right over my head and I'm mad.
Many years ago, I enjoyed the movie Slither for its over-the-top intentionally cheesy horror mixed with comedy and satire. Some years after that, I read a book that had me thinking that if it was only supposed to be read like Slither I would have enjoyed it. So I started reading it that way, and it became great.
This book reminded me of that, in ways, except that--and it's a way bigger except than it should be--where did the name Gizmo come from?
I knew who probably uttered that name in the prologue upon first reading, but I thought the novel would eventually answer the question of why that name was used as we went along.
If it did, it blew right over my head and I'm mad.
Many years ago, I enjoyed the movie Slither for its over-the-top intentionally cheesy horror mixed with comedy and satire. Some years after that, I read a book that had me thinking that if it was only supposed to be read like Slither I would have enjoyed it. So I started reading it that way, and it became great.
This book reminded me of that, in ways, except that--and it's a way bigger except than it should be--where did the name Gizmo come from?
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