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Meg & Linus
Can friendship, Star Trek, drama club, and a whole lot of coffee get two nerdy best friends through the beginning of their senior year of high school?
Meg and Linus are best friends bound by a shared love of school, a coffee obsession, and being queer. It’s not always easy to be the nerdy lesbian or gay kid in a suburban town. But they have each other. And a few Star Trek boxed sets. They're pretty happy.
But then Sophia, Meg’s longtime girlfriend, breaks up with Meg. Linus starts tutoring the totally dreamy new kid, Danny—and Meg thinks setting them up is the perfect project to distract herself from her own heartbreak. But Linus isn’t so sure Danny even likes guys, and maybe Sophia isn't quite as out of the picture as Meg thought she was. . . .
From crowdsourced young adult imprint Swoon Reads comes Meg & Linus by Hanna Nowinski, a fun friendship story about two quirky teens who must learn to get out of their comfort zones and take risks—even if that means joining the drama club, making new friends, and learning how to stand on your own.
Praise for Meg and Linus, from the Swoon Reads community:
"I also love that friendship takes center stage in this story. . . . I didn't want the story to end! Such a beautiful story." —Rita, reader on SwoonReads.com
"I liked that both characters are queer, and while it is a part of the story, it's not the story itself. . . . It's delightfully refreshing." —Tammy Wanzer, reader on SwoonReads.com
"What made this unique was the strong friendship between the two narrators (who were not romantically interested in each other), and how that friendship influenced their romances with their partners. It was also refreshing to haveLGBT representation that was beyond stereotypes." —Julia Durrant, reader on SwoonReads.com
"This book is a really lovely story about young love and being true to yourself despite the pressures to conform." —Jill Watkins, reader on SwoonReads.com
"Get ready to fall in love with two oddball nerdy best friends. . . . This adorable, warm hearted contemporary YA is tremendously funny, and full of some seriously swoony moments. . . . The world needs more diverse love stories, whether that be long time girlfriends working through some issues, first crushes or friendships." —Charlie, reader on SwoonReads.com
Meg and Linus are best friends bound by a shared love of school, a coffee obsession, and being queer. It’s not always easy to be the nerdy lesbian or gay kid in a suburban town. But they have each other. And a few Star Trek boxed sets. They're pretty happy.
But then Sophia, Meg’s longtime girlfriend, breaks up with Meg. Linus starts tutoring the totally dreamy new kid, Danny—and Meg thinks setting them up is the perfect project to distract herself from her own heartbreak. But Linus isn’t so sure Danny even likes guys, and maybe Sophia isn't quite as out of the picture as Meg thought she was. . . .
From crowdsourced young adult imprint Swoon Reads comes Meg & Linus by Hanna Nowinski, a fun friendship story about two quirky teens who must learn to get out of their comfort zones and take risks—even if that means joining the drama club, making new friends, and learning how to stand on your own.
Praise for Meg and Linus, from the Swoon Reads community:
"I also love that friendship takes center stage in this story. . . . I didn't want the story to end! Such a beautiful story." —Rita, reader on SwoonReads.com
"I liked that both characters are queer, and while it is a part of the story, it's not the story itself. . . . It's delightfully refreshing." —Tammy Wanzer, reader on SwoonReads.com
"What made this unique was the strong friendship between the two narrators (who were not romantically interested in each other), and how that friendship influenced their romances with their partners. It was also refreshing to haveLGBT representation that was beyond stereotypes." —Julia Durrant, reader on SwoonReads.com
"This book is a really lovely story about young love and being true to yourself despite the pressures to conform." —Jill Watkins, reader on SwoonReads.com
"Get ready to fall in love with two oddball nerdy best friends. . . . This adorable, warm hearted contemporary YA is tremendously funny, and full of some seriously swoony moments. . . . The world needs more diverse love stories, whether that be long time girlfriends working through some issues, first crushes or friendships." —Charlie, reader on SwoonReads.com
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2017
22 people are currently reading
2643 people want to read
About the author
Hanna Nowinski
1 book17 followersHanna Nowinski is a language enthusiast and trained translator for German and English who lives in the middle of nowhere, Germany. She has wanted to be a writer since she learned that books were made by real people. As a kid, she made up her own bedtime stories, mostly sending her stuffed animals on adventures around the world. She loves books, music, coffee, and getting way too emotionally invested in TV shows. Meg & Linus is her debut novel.
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May 21, 2017I was excited to read this LGBT BFF book featuring a guy and a girl who are best friends (Linus likes guys; Meg likes girls).
This was cute in parts but after a few chapters I started to feel like the substance of the book was 98% romance drama (1% drama club, 1% Meg and her mom) and the style of the book felt way too heavy on the dialogue. I wanted more substance and my attention wandered.
A cute friends-find-romance (with other people) story. Check it out if you are in the mood for something talky and light.
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
This was cute in parts but after a few chapters I started to feel like the substance of the book was 98% romance drama (1% drama club, 1% Meg and her mom) and the style of the book felt way too heavy on the dialogue. I wanted more substance and my attention wandered.
A cute friends-find-romance (with other people) story. Check it out if you are in the mood for something talky and light.
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
August 9, 2016
4.5 but it kept me up til 5am last night finishing it soo I'm rounding up! I REALLY enjoyed this book. The characters took me awhile to warm up to, but I ended up falling in love with them. They're flawed and can be obnoxious at times, but that was actually... refreshingly realistic. We don't see a lot of queer characters who aren't 100% perfect and amazing all the time. That trend is definitely changing... but slowly. So I really enjoyed seeing these two with all their flaws and amazingness-- I came away wishing I was best friends with them, too.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable and tantalizingly paced novel-- I literally could not go to bed until I found out how this one specific subplot ended, and it was torturous but delightful.
Other highlights: gay nerds, gay best friends, already out gay people (I especially loved how they're comfortable with themselves but still face a number of microagressions, because that's a middle zone between tragedy and utopia for gay people that's seen so little), GAY ACTING, coffee adoration, amazing Star Trek nerdiness and other nerdiness...
Yeah. All in all, one to put on your TBR!!
This is a thoroughly enjoyable and tantalizingly paced novel-- I literally could not go to bed until I found out how this one specific subplot ended, and it was torturous but delightful.
Other highlights: gay nerds, gay best friends, already out gay people (I especially loved how they're comfortable with themselves but still face a number of microagressions, because that's a middle zone between tragedy and utopia for gay people that's seen so little), GAY ACTING, coffee adoration, amazing Star Trek nerdiness and other nerdiness...
Yeah. All in all, one to put on your TBR!!
September 25, 2016
This was entertaining, but didn't have any fabulousness to make it stand out for me. Of course I LOVED our queer characters, but the writing style wasn't for me and the dialogue felt off. I think this book is a great representation of nerdy LGBTQIAP+ characters, though, and THAT'S what I loved. The characters annoyed me at times, but like I saw in another review, it was so refreshing to see realistic queer characters.
April 21, 2017
Meg and Linus are best friends who initially bonded over their mutual appreciation of Star Trek. They both also happen to be gay. Meg starts her senior year of high school just as her girlfriend Sophia breaks up with her and leaves for college. Meanwhile, Linus fancies Danny, the cute barista at his favorite coffee shop, who later shows up in his history class on the first day of school. When Meg realizes that Linus has a crush on Danny, she decides to set them up. Tutoring and joining the drama club are just part of her plan. Meanwhile, Sophia starts messaging Linus, and he doesn't tell Meg. As the secrets and lies between them mount, so does the tension. As one relationship ends, another is beginning, and these two friends need to learn to cope with the changes it will bring to their friendship.
Alternating chapters tell the story from the points of view of Meg and Linus. The chapters are really short and the constant change in viewpoint is disorienting. Both characters have the same voice, and I often found myself forgetting whose story I was reading. The narration is awkward and repetitive, with too much introspection and self-doubt, and full of unnecessary comments - almost as if they are telling us everything as, and when, it comes into their heads. It's phrased like they are speaking directly to us, which feels a bit odd, especially in the present tense. Both the narration and the dialogue are lacking in contractions, making the writing stilted and unnatural. The author should try reading her work aloud to hear how it sounds. The dialogue also suffers from an extreme overuse of exclamation marks! Nevertheless, there is some really insightful writing throughout, as you can see from the "Some of My Favorite Lines" section in my blog post.
It's nice to see a bit of ethnic diversity among the characters (Danny is Indian and Sophia is African American), and the gay best friends angle is a nice touch. However, Meg herself is too unlikable for a protagonist. She's extremely naive, talking first about her prospective marriage to Sophia, and then about Linus's marriage to Danny - when they haven't really met and we don't even know if Danny is gay! Meg's behavior and treatment of Linus doesn't correspond to that of a best friend. I found her very annoying and was amused when Meg herself later said, "I’m seriously starting to annoy even myself." She's also always feeling sorry for herself; even she admits it: "And now I’m feeling sorry for myself again." The constant shoulder bumping between all characters also gets a bit tiresome.
What I did love was Meg's relationship with her mother. I also enjoyed the interactions between Linus and Danny. Their first conversation is adorably awkward. And the reactions of Linus's parents are priceless. Meg and Linus learn to take risks and try new things as a prelude to their life after school, and it's nice to see them grow throughout the course of the book. I just wish these so-called best friends would learn to talk to each other a bit more.
A light and fun, if slightly disappointing, read.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...
Alternating chapters tell the story from the points of view of Meg and Linus. The chapters are really short and the constant change in viewpoint is disorienting. Both characters have the same voice, and I often found myself forgetting whose story I was reading. The narration is awkward and repetitive, with too much introspection and self-doubt, and full of unnecessary comments - almost as if they are telling us everything as, and when, it comes into their heads. It's phrased like they are speaking directly to us, which feels a bit odd, especially in the present tense. Both the narration and the dialogue are lacking in contractions, making the writing stilted and unnatural. The author should try reading her work aloud to hear how it sounds. The dialogue also suffers from an extreme overuse of exclamation marks! Nevertheless, there is some really insightful writing throughout, as you can see from the "Some of My Favorite Lines" section in my blog post.
It's nice to see a bit of ethnic diversity among the characters (Danny is Indian and Sophia is African American), and the gay best friends angle is a nice touch. However, Meg herself is too unlikable for a protagonist. She's extremely naive, talking first about her prospective marriage to Sophia, and then about Linus's marriage to Danny - when they haven't really met and we don't even know if Danny is gay! Meg's behavior and treatment of Linus doesn't correspond to that of a best friend. I found her very annoying and was amused when Meg herself later said, "I’m seriously starting to annoy even myself." She's also always feeling sorry for herself; even she admits it: "And now I’m feeling sorry for myself again." The constant shoulder bumping between all characters also gets a bit tiresome.
What I did love was Meg's relationship with her mother. I also enjoyed the interactions between Linus and Danny. Their first conversation is adorably awkward. And the reactions of Linus's parents are priceless. Meg and Linus learn to take risks and try new things as a prelude to their life after school, and it's nice to see them grow throughout the course of the book. I just wish these so-called best friends would learn to talk to each other a bit more.
A light and fun, if slightly disappointing, read.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...
April 6, 2017
3.5 stars
Meg and Linus are inseparable best friends. They bond over their love of Star Trek marathons, coffee, and cookies. Things start to change a little bit for them when Meg's girlfriend of two years suddenly breaks up with her before heading off to college. Meg doesn't want to talk about it yet, and starts to pull away from Linus a bit and also becomes a little antisocial. When she finds out Linus has a crush on the new guy in school she makes it her mission to get them together. Linus wants Meg to open up to him about how she's feeling and what exactly happened between Meg and her now ex-girlfriend, but she refuses to talk about it. Linus is really shy with people he doesn't know and has some self esteem issues. He gets really flustered and embarrassed around Danny, and hates that Meg seems to be pushing them together so much. They both start to keep a few secrets and while having the best of intentions, things become more strained than ever with their friendship.
My favorite thing about this whole book was the cuteness between Danny and Linus. I absolutely loved their interactions, awkwardness and all! Danny was an absolute sweetheart, and always tried find more reasons for them to hang out. It became pretty obvious that he liked Linus back, but Linus is so self conscious that he didn't see it at all. Danny is very patient with Linus and just waits him out. These two are kind of opposites but I think it works well for them because Danny helps get Linus out of his shell a lot and shows him how to have a little fun. Danny is a social person and has no trouble making friends right away. Linus only has one friend (Meg) and he doesn't really try to change that. He loves math and is very intelligent. The smiling and blushing between these two was so adorable.
Meg was struggling a lot in this book, but she did it quietly. She wouldn't talk to anyone about things that were bothering her and I was just waiting for her to explode....and then I was almost kind of disappointed when she didn't. I wanted her to finally break down and show some emotion. She never cries in the entire book. What she does do is push her feelings aside a focus on getting Linus and Danny together. I thought she was a little too pushy...and a little cruel at times. She knows Linus hates being embarrassed but pushes him into situations that make him very uncomfortable. She didn't even know if Danny was gay or not and still kept trying to force things between them!
I thought the ending was really sweet and wrapped everything up in a satisfying way. I think the writing style was a little younger on the Young Adult side, but I still really enjoyed parts of this one and thought it was super cute.
*I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. *
Meg and Linus are inseparable best friends. They bond over their love of Star Trek marathons, coffee, and cookies. Things start to change a little bit for them when Meg's girlfriend of two years suddenly breaks up with her before heading off to college. Meg doesn't want to talk about it yet, and starts to pull away from Linus a bit and also becomes a little antisocial. When she finds out Linus has a crush on the new guy in school she makes it her mission to get them together. Linus wants Meg to open up to him about how she's feeling and what exactly happened between Meg and her now ex-girlfriend, but she refuses to talk about it. Linus is really shy with people he doesn't know and has some self esteem issues. He gets really flustered and embarrassed around Danny, and hates that Meg seems to be pushing them together so much. They both start to keep a few secrets and while having the best of intentions, things become more strained than ever with their friendship.
My favorite thing about this whole book was the cuteness between Danny and Linus. I absolutely loved their interactions, awkwardness and all! Danny was an absolute sweetheart, and always tried find more reasons for them to hang out. It became pretty obvious that he liked Linus back, but Linus is so self conscious that he didn't see it at all. Danny is very patient with Linus and just waits him out. These two are kind of opposites but I think it works well for them because Danny helps get Linus out of his shell a lot and shows him how to have a little fun. Danny is a social person and has no trouble making friends right away. Linus only has one friend (Meg) and he doesn't really try to change that. He loves math and is very intelligent. The smiling and blushing between these two was so adorable.
Meg was struggling a lot in this book, but she did it quietly. She wouldn't talk to anyone about things that were bothering her and I was just waiting for her to explode....and then I was almost kind of disappointed when she didn't. I wanted her to finally break down and show some emotion. She never cries in the entire book. What she does do is push her feelings aside a focus on getting Linus and Danny together. I thought she was a little too pushy...and a little cruel at times. She knows Linus hates being embarrassed but pushes him into situations that make him very uncomfortable. She didn't even know if Danny was gay or not and still kept trying to force things between them!
I thought the ending was really sweet and wrapped everything up in a satisfying way. I think the writing style was a little younger on the Young Adult side, but I still really enjoyed parts of this one and thought it was super cute.
*I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. *
August 18, 2018
It is nine PM on a Saturday night, I sit and internally flipping my sh*t about not only the fact that I start a new school Monday but also the fact that I'm sleeping in a f*cking sleep lab tomorrow to check on my various breathing issues. The only way to calm me is to rant about stuff. So without further ado, here I am.
2/5 stars, I think, I guess, does it matter, what's in a rating, what's in a name, who am I, what was this book, what is everything, Illuminati confirmed
Around this time last year I read the book Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall, and I despised it. This book was pretty similar to this book, only this book wasn't infuriating. As mentioned in my pre-review, this book was so horrifyingly inoffensive, such a nothing book, that I'm not even sure it exists. (BTW my review for it is here and you should definitely read that: BEEN HERE ALL ALONG REVIEW)
Anyway. This book follows, much to my surprise given the book's title, two persons named Meg and Linus.
Bad joke? Check.
They are both gaaaaayyy, to which I say yaaaayyy. All jokes aside it's nice to see something else than the typical gay guy/straight girl pairing, so I'll give the book that. More gay to the people.
That's about all the book has going for it though.
They're in their senior year and are going through various struggles. Meg just got broken up with by her lovely girlfriend, and Linus is developing is a serious crush on the guy he's tutoring. That's about it.
I don't crave a heavy plot from a casual contemporary, but boy, does nothing happen in this. This author is so afraid of conflict, every slight misunderstanding and every possible hint at conflict is always solved within a chapter, because we can't have the precious characters be angry, can we?
Don't get me wrong, I'm the first one to scream into my pillow when I see unnecessary conflicts (something I did VIGOROUSLY yesterday when I saw the headache that was the last twenty minutes of To All The Boys I've Loved Before) (seriously, if anyone would just let the other person speak, the ending wouldn't even happen) (can we honestly diverge for a sec here and talk about this? when in real life does a character EVER say "I've heard enough, you don't need to explain" to someone they obviously DON'T want to be in conflict with? Like if you like someone you don't want to be angry with them, you don't want to believe they did bad sh*t, so you'll hear any excuse/explanation they have!!! That was so infuriating!! But if anyone acted like a human being I guess there wouldn't be conflict so great thanks goodbye) (no hate on anyone who likes that series btw)
*clears throat* Okay, looks like I went off on a bit of a tangent there. Anyway, as I said, unnecessary conflict is annoying, but no conflict is no better. If your only options are no conflict or unnecessary, unrealistic conflict, maybe you should rethink your entire book. Seriously. If you can't create some realistic conflict for your book/piece of media, wait a sec before publishing it.
Check yourself.
The only consistent character trait that was kept throughout the book was Linus's lack of confidence/complete oblivion to the fact that Danny, his love interest (whose name I had to look up in the book because he was so forgettable) had a crush on him. Throughout the entire book, Linus is like 'why do you even hang out with me, I'm such a nuisance' even while Danny is figuratively sticking his tongue down Linus's throat. Like, I'm kind of like Linus in that way as well, but even I would be able to tell what with how obvious Danny was acting.
I say that's the only consistent character trait that was developed on, because it was the only character trait period. Every character was so boring, so oblate, they were actually used as evidence by the Flat Earth Society to prove the earth is flat.
This book is also guilty of one of my least favorite tropes, ever! It's not even a trope, really. But it's when a character's interests or hobbies is used as their f*cking character traits. In this book, it's coffee and Star Trek. Meg and Linus's favorite Star Trek episodes are given more word time than developing any other trait. YOUR INTERESTS ARE NOT YOUR PERSONALITY! SAY IT WITH ME KIDS! YOUR INTERESTS ARE NOT YOUR PERSONALITY!
To sum this up, finally... with some flat ass characters, a non-existent plot, no conflict, no good writing, no showing instead of telling, and no character development, what does this book have going for it?
Nothing. Isn't that clear? If it's not clear that it has nothing going for it, I've failed as a reviewer.
Okay, that's kind of harsh. As I said, it has good representation, even besides the two main characters. For example, Danny is Asian and Meg's love interest, Sophia, is black. And also, for having so little happen, the pacing is competent and it's far from the worst writing I've read. Also, I love the cover.
And, as mentioned, the contemporary I mentioned earlier in this review was infuriating. Because that book was trying to be this deep story dealing with hard issues. It was trying to balance all these subplots all the while having shitty writing and horrible pacing (like, 40% of everything that happened in the book happened in less than one chapter). At least this book knows what it is. It knows its a normal contemporary, a sweet story. It doesn't really try to be anything it's not. And I respect it for that.
Thank you, and goodbye.
I'm out.
******
2/5
This book was so quiet, so calm, so incredibly low-key that had it been any more so, it would cease to exist.
This book was such nothing that I don't even know what to say about it? It was lame and sappy and almost a bit cute and lame and not that well written.
I think I will write a review on this when I can find anything to say about it.
2/5 stars, I think, I guess, does it matter, what's in a rating, what's in a name, who am I, what was this book, what is everything, Illuminati confirmed
Around this time last year I read the book Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall, and I despised it. This book was pretty similar to this book, only this book wasn't infuriating. As mentioned in my pre-review, this book was so horrifyingly inoffensive, such a nothing book, that I'm not even sure it exists. (BTW my review for it is here and you should definitely read that: BEEN HERE ALL ALONG REVIEW)
Anyway. This book follows, much to my surprise given the book's title, two persons named Meg and Linus.
Bad joke? Check.
They are both gaaaaayyy, to which I say yaaaayyy. All jokes aside it's nice to see something else than the typical gay guy/straight girl pairing, so I'll give the book that. More gay to the people.
That's about all the book has going for it though.
They're in their senior year and are going through various struggles. Meg just got broken up with by her lovely girlfriend, and Linus is developing is a serious crush on the guy he's tutoring. That's about it.
I don't crave a heavy plot from a casual contemporary, but boy, does nothing happen in this. This author is so afraid of conflict, every slight misunderstanding and every possible hint at conflict is always solved within a chapter, because we can't have the precious characters be angry, can we?
Don't get me wrong, I'm the first one to scream into my pillow when I see unnecessary conflicts (something I did VIGOROUSLY yesterday when I saw the headache that was the last twenty minutes of To All The Boys I've Loved Before) (seriously, if anyone would just let the other person speak, the ending wouldn't even happen) (can we honestly diverge for a sec here and talk about this? when in real life does a character EVER say "I've heard enough, you don't need to explain" to someone they obviously DON'T want to be in conflict with? Like if you like someone you don't want to be angry with them, you don't want to believe they did bad sh*t, so you'll hear any excuse/explanation they have!!! That was so infuriating!! But if anyone acted like a human being I guess there wouldn't be conflict so great thanks goodbye) (no hate on anyone who likes that series btw)
*clears throat* Okay, looks like I went off on a bit of a tangent there. Anyway, as I said, unnecessary conflict is annoying, but no conflict is no better. If your only options are no conflict or unnecessary, unrealistic conflict, maybe you should rethink your entire book. Seriously. If you can't create some realistic conflict for your book/piece of media, wait a sec before publishing it.
Check yourself.
The only consistent character trait that was kept throughout the book was Linus's lack of confidence/complete oblivion to the fact that Danny, his love interest (whose name I had to look up in the book because he was so forgettable) had a crush on him. Throughout the entire book, Linus is like 'why do you even hang out with me, I'm such a nuisance' even while Danny is figuratively sticking his tongue down Linus's throat. Like, I'm kind of like Linus in that way as well, but even I would be able to tell what with how obvious Danny was acting.
I say that's the only consistent character trait that was developed on, because it was the only character trait period. Every character was so boring, so oblate, they were actually used as evidence by the Flat Earth Society to prove the earth is flat.
This book is also guilty of one of my least favorite tropes, ever! It's not even a trope, really. But it's when a character's interests or hobbies is used as their f*cking character traits. In this book, it's coffee and Star Trek. Meg and Linus's favorite Star Trek episodes are given more word time than developing any other trait. YOUR INTERESTS ARE NOT YOUR PERSONALITY! SAY IT WITH ME KIDS! YOUR INTERESTS ARE NOT YOUR PERSONALITY!
To sum this up, finally... with some flat ass characters, a non-existent plot, no conflict, no good writing, no showing instead of telling, and no character development, what does this book have going for it?
Nothing. Isn't that clear? If it's not clear that it has nothing going for it, I've failed as a reviewer.
Okay, that's kind of harsh. As I said, it has good representation, even besides the two main characters. For example, Danny is Asian and Meg's love interest, Sophia, is black. And also, for having so little happen, the pacing is competent and it's far from the worst writing I've read. Also, I love the cover.
And, as mentioned, the contemporary I mentioned earlier in this review was infuriating. Because that book was trying to be this deep story dealing with hard issues. It was trying to balance all these subplots all the while having shitty writing and horrible pacing (like, 40% of everything that happened in the book happened in less than one chapter). At least this book knows what it is. It knows its a normal contemporary, a sweet story. It doesn't really try to be anything it's not. And I respect it for that.
Thank you, and goodbye.
I'm out.
******
2/5
This book was so quiet, so calm, so incredibly low-key that had it been any more so, it would cease to exist.
This book was such nothing that I don't even know what to say about it? It was lame and sappy and almost a bit cute and lame and not that well written.
I think I will write a review on this when I can find anything to say about it.
July 27, 2017
2.5 stars
This book wasn't really it for me.
It's about Meg and Linus, best friends and both gay, smart and nerdy. It was great to read about characters that were genuinely excited about school, did well and were interested in a variety of things. I love that friendship had a strong focus. It was great to see that, even though most people around them were accepting of their sexual orientation, the story didn't pretend other people didn't exist, and I really liked the part in which Meg explains she is lucky she only gets a little harassment, instead of a lot. That's horrible, but that's life, and it's good things like that are acknowledged.
However. There were also things I didn't like.
The writing was not that great, and in some places even very repetitive.
I didn't really like Meg all that much for the most part of the book, she was way too pushy and failed to see why what she did (was it the meddling or never really standing still to deal with the fact her girlfriend dumped her) was unhealthy, even when that was really obvious.
Linus was cute but so oblivious I got irritated after a while. I get being insecure and not wanting to believe the best, I do. This just felt like a bit too over the top for me, but obviously, that might just be me.
Most of the characters fell flat, which was really sad. It's too bad if that happens with supporting characters, but here I had the feeling even the main characters were a bit underdeveloped. I did like seeing somewhat involved parents though.
Bisexual people exist. They do. All the time, not only when you think of them, and they deserve to be mentioned. I don't really get why it was necessary to always say "we don't even know if he's gay" instead of "we don't know if he's into guys" because both get the point across and the latter does not erase bisexual people. I know it got mentioned occasionally, but occasionally is not good enough, and even then, it was always as an afterthought, which sucks. That just really tires me.
Not my lane, but I thought the descriptions of Linus' body or his looks were sometimes a bit odd. We need fat rep, but I think it might've been stronger if there weren't so many euphemisms used. It made me feel as if the word fat, or being fat, was something to dance around, and that shouldn't be the case. Again, this is not my lane, so I might be wrong or saying the wrong things. It was just something that felt weird, so I wanted to point it out.
The story is not really memorable. Not all stories are plot-driven, and neither do they have to be. This one, however, also didn't have the characters to make a strong character driven story, nor the writing to stand out.
Overall, it was kind of a disappointment to me and I'm still not sure if I should keep the 2.5 stars or change my rating to two.
This book wasn't really it for me.
It's about Meg and Linus, best friends and both gay, smart and nerdy. It was great to read about characters that were genuinely excited about school, did well and were interested in a variety of things. I love that friendship had a strong focus. It was great to see that, even though most people around them were accepting of their sexual orientation, the story didn't pretend other people didn't exist, and I really liked the part in which Meg explains she is lucky she only gets a little harassment, instead of a lot. That's horrible, but that's life, and it's good things like that are acknowledged.
However. There were also things I didn't like.
The writing was not that great, and in some places even very repetitive.
I didn't really like Meg all that much for the most part of the book, she was way too pushy and failed to see why what she did (was it the meddling or never really standing still to deal with the fact her girlfriend dumped her) was unhealthy, even when that was really obvious.
Linus was cute but so oblivious I got irritated after a while. I get being insecure and not wanting to believe the best, I do. This just felt like a bit too over the top for me, but obviously, that might just be me.
Most of the characters fell flat, which was really sad. It's too bad if that happens with supporting characters, but here I had the feeling even the main characters were a bit underdeveloped. I did like seeing somewhat involved parents though.
Bisexual people exist. They do. All the time, not only when you think of them, and they deserve to be mentioned. I don't really get why it was necessary to always say "we don't even know if he's gay" instead of "we don't know if he's into guys" because both get the point across and the latter does not erase bisexual people. I know it got mentioned occasionally, but occasionally is not good enough, and even then, it was always as an afterthought, which sucks. That just really tires me.
Not my lane, but I thought the descriptions of Linus' body or his looks were sometimes a bit odd. We need fat rep, but I think it might've been stronger if there weren't so many euphemisms used. It made me feel as if the word fat, or being fat, was something to dance around, and that shouldn't be the case. Again, this is not my lane, so I might be wrong or saying the wrong things. It was just something that felt weird, so I wanted to point it out.
The story is not really memorable. Not all stories are plot-driven, and neither do they have to be. This one, however, also didn't have the characters to make a strong character driven story, nor the writing to stand out.
Overall, it was kind of a disappointment to me and I'm still not sure if I should keep the 2.5 stars or change my rating to two.
April 20, 2017
Review originally posted on The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange :)
I received this copy from Xpresso Book Tours through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Let's go :D
*~.Book Analysis.~*
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)
This book was really cute and a refresh in YA in terms of thematics. Meg & Linus are two sides of the same coin, with a unique perspective on how not to treat your friends after a break up. It was so nice to read a book focused on friendship rather than romance for a change! Nowinski did a wonderful job with characters construction and plot developing. This book only didn’t make it to the big five stars to me because of two reasons: a) I wasn’t as invested in the narrative as I thought I’d be, but I guess that’s because; b) Meg & Linus is my 15th first person narrated book in less than a month. I really am not a fan of this narrative style and I’m really saturated of it at the moment, regardless of the quality of the books. I think it’s a classic ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ situation, oops! >.<
The narrative style is first person with alternating points of view between Meg and Linus. While they didn’t crawl under my skin and made me want to slap them (effects of usual first person narratives on me), I also missed being out of their thoughts and seeing the story in a more broad perspective. Does this make sense? Probably not, haha! Nowinski’s writing style was refreshing, with awesome humor catches, nerdy references and relating situations.
I didn’t quite know what to expect from the plot of Meg & Linus, but it had quite a few twists and I had fun following these two around. Of course, there are no over complicated points or a mystery to be solved, but life itself is already a handful, especially for teenagers. Things get wild real quick, haha!
Meg and Linus, as characters, were great – each in their own way. Again, the problem was me. I couldn’t connect with them or relate to half of the story. And this sucks hard for me because I love gay romances and Linus was living a real cute one. I need therapy.
BUT I DID SAVE A DIALOGUE FOR YOU, GUYS. Because it was so cute aaaand BECAUSE NOTHING SELLS THE BOOK BETTER THAN QUOTES =D
*~.Cover Analysis.~*
This cover. I feel in love as soon as I saw it. I’m such a hard goner for black with metallic colors, you guys have no idea. This panda was a crow in its past life FOR SURE. The inversion with the pink and blue on the names, the simple illustrations along the way, the handwritten type font of the title… I CAN’T STOP FANGIRLING ABOUT THIS COVER.
~*~
Overall, if you like your drama spiced with humor, nerd and pop culture, YA and LGBT reads, you totally should pick up Meg & Linus!
Thank you so much for reading this review! Also, thanks so much to Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley for my review copy =D
I received this copy from Xpresso Book Tours through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Let's go :D
*~.Book Analysis.~*
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)
This book was really cute and a refresh in YA in terms of thematics. Meg & Linus are two sides of the same coin, with a unique perspective on how not to treat your friends after a break up. It was so nice to read a book focused on friendship rather than romance for a change! Nowinski did a wonderful job with characters construction and plot developing. This book only didn’t make it to the big five stars to me because of two reasons: a) I wasn’t as invested in the narrative as I thought I’d be, but I guess that’s because; b) Meg & Linus is my 15th first person narrated book in less than a month. I really am not a fan of this narrative style and I’m really saturated of it at the moment, regardless of the quality of the books. I think it’s a classic ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ situation, oops! >.<
The narrative style is first person with alternating points of view between Meg and Linus. While they didn’t crawl under my skin and made me want to slap them (effects of usual first person narratives on me), I also missed being out of their thoughts and seeing the story in a more broad perspective. Does this make sense? Probably not, haha! Nowinski’s writing style was refreshing, with awesome humor catches, nerdy references and relating situations.
I didn’t quite know what to expect from the plot of Meg & Linus, but it had quite a few twists and I had fun following these two around. Of course, there are no over complicated points or a mystery to be solved, but life itself is already a handful, especially for teenagers. Things get wild real quick, haha!
Meg and Linus, as characters, were great – each in their own way. Again, the problem was me. I couldn’t connect with them or relate to half of the story. And this sucks hard for me because I love gay romances and Linus was living a real cute one. I need therapy.
BUT I DID SAVE A DIALOGUE FOR YOU, GUYS. Because it was so cute aaaand BECAUSE NOTHING SELLS THE BOOK BETTER THAN QUOTES =D
Linus: Can I tell you something really sappy, and will you promise not to laught at me if I do?
Meg: No. I’m absolutely going to laugh at you. But you can still tell me.
Linus: I really missed you, Meg. Although right now, I’m desperately trying to remember why.
Meg: Aw. You’re right. That was incredibly sappy!
*~.Cover Analysis.~*
This cover. I feel in love as soon as I saw it. I’m such a hard goner for black with metallic colors, you guys have no idea. This panda was a crow in its past life FOR SURE. The inversion with the pink and blue on the names, the simple illustrations along the way, the handwritten type font of the title… I CAN’T STOP FANGIRLING ABOUT THIS COVER.
~*~
Overall, if you like your drama spiced with humor, nerd and pop culture, YA and LGBT reads, you totally should pick up Meg & Linus!
Thank you so much for reading this review! Also, thanks so much to Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley for my review copy =D
April 19, 2017
More like 2.5 stars. I enjoyed parts, but mostly I was kind of disappointed and underwhelmed.
RTC
RTC
August 8, 2017
'Meg and Linus' is about two gay best friends in their senior year of high school and it is dual narrated by the two. Meg has just been dumped by her girlfriend Sophia, so she focuses on setting up Linus with the new boy, Danny.
I really wanted to enjoy this book but I found it boring and just couldn't get into it. I didn't like either of the main characters which definitely didn't help, but this may have been because they were under-developed. The book was just far too slow paced - nothing really happened for a while, it was just about Meg missing Sophia and trying to set up Linus and Danny. I didn't like the writing style either as it was very repetitive and I felt like the dialogue didn't flow very well.
Another thing that bothered me was that Meg and Linus didn't seem like realistic 17 year olds at all. They felt more like 13 year olds, along with most of the other characters their age in this book. I think it could've been better if the characters were younger as it would have felt more believable. Plus, there aren't many LGBT books aimed towards younger age groups so it would've been a welcome change!
Another reviewer mentioned that they would have liked more of Meg's memories with Sophia to have been included and I agree! Sophia was such an important character but we hardly knew anything about her or her relationship with Meg.
I liked the diversity of the characters in terms of sexuality and ethnicity but it just wasn't enough to keep me interested. If you are okay with reading slow paced books though, then maybe you will find Meg and Linus more enjoyable than I did, as I am used to reading more fast paced books.
I really wanted to enjoy this book but I found it boring and just couldn't get into it. I didn't like either of the main characters which definitely didn't help, but this may have been because they were under-developed. The book was just far too slow paced - nothing really happened for a while, it was just about Meg missing Sophia and trying to set up Linus and Danny. I didn't like the writing style either as it was very repetitive and I felt like the dialogue didn't flow very well.
Another thing that bothered me was that Meg and Linus didn't seem like realistic 17 year olds at all. They felt more like 13 year olds, along with most of the other characters their age in this book. I think it could've been better if the characters were younger as it would have felt more believable. Plus, there aren't many LGBT books aimed towards younger age groups so it would've been a welcome change!
Another reviewer mentioned that they would have liked more of Meg's memories with Sophia to have been included and I agree! Sophia was such an important character but we hardly knew anything about her or her relationship with Meg.
I liked the diversity of the characters in terms of sexuality and ethnicity but it just wasn't enough to keep me interested. If you are okay with reading slow paced books though, then maybe you will find Meg and Linus more enjoyable than I did, as I am used to reading more fast paced books.
August 9, 2017
It was page 219 (I made a note of it), Linus’s chapter, when I rolled my eyes and finally uttered out loud, “This kid’s an idiot.” I mean, I really like Linus—he has a big heart and is caring and undoubtedly lovable—but come on, dude, you can’t be that freaking dense, especially since your best friend has been telling you that Danny likes you for the past 150 pages. It was my main problem with the novel, everything felt repetitive. Each chapter was basically dealing with the same conflict that was brought up three chapters prior. It’s as if the novel isn’t written in an arc, but rather an uptick into a straight line. Lines of dialogue and themes are even repeated throughout the novel. With that being said, I still enjoyed most of the novel. There were some sweet scenes between Linus and Danny, and on the rare occasion, Meg. And it was well written, aside from the fact that everyone in the story seemed to shoulder-bump one another every five minutes. Overall, MEG & LINUS is a fine young-adult novel, but there are better ones out there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2018
I really wanted to love this one, but ultimately I found it frustrating. For much of the book, Meg and Linus weren't "Meg and Linus." They weren't in sync and their friendship was strained. I would have loved a book about nerdy best friends being nerdy best friends. That's what I thought the book would be. I wanted that friendship to be the heart of the book and it too often felt like that other (mostly romantic) relationships took precedence.
May 28, 2017
The writing was a little hard to get into. The characters were a little too childish for me and if I'm being honest I couldn't connect with them at all. It just wasn't for me. The ending though, it was good. Predictable but good.
May 26, 2017
More rambling than dialogue, drama than plot, but this could've been such a cute and real story!
March 31, 2017
You can find more of my reviews at Forever 17 Books.
3.5 stars!
If I had to describe Meg & Linus in one word it would be – CUTE! Above all else, this is a story about friendship and Meg and Linus are major friend goals. They have that sort of friendship people strive to have in their life and it was a joy to read. They study together, join clubs, and set up movie marathons to watch. They have a deep compassion for each other and it showed on every page. When Meg’s girlfriend breaks up with her suddenly before the new school year, she has a tough time dealing with it and basically suppresses her feelings and distracts herself by trying to set up Linus with a cute new boy he has a crush on. And this is the backbone of the story.
The chapters flop back and forth in points of view between Meg and Linus. We get to see both characters sort of transform and come of age. Both characters are extremely smart and have a passion for learning. They love coffee, and Star Trek and I definitely noticed a reference to Lord of the Rings and Lembas bread thrown in. Meg is a little more outgoing and is determined to try new things and distract herself from the breakup. Her number one distraction comes in the form of trying to push Linus towards his new crush, Danny. Linus is the definition of adorkable. He is incredibly adorable but oh so nerdy and I loved him. His social awkwardness was so cute and man did I resonate with him on that. His chapters were my favorite. Unfortunately, Meg gets a little too pushy in her quest at times and I think I felt just as uncomfortable as Linus as I remembered my experiences with that in high school. But the thing was, it was never done maliciously. It always came from a place in her heart with the best intentions and that is exactly why this friendship worked so well for me. Even when the characters made mistakes, they always genuinely wanted happiness for each other and could realize their mistakes themselves.
Something else to love about Meg & Linus is the progression of friendship for Linus and Danny. Linus was crushing hard on the new boy before school even started but lacked the confidence to talk to him, feeling himself too nerdy and not so sure Danny was interested in boys romantically. Their interactions were so adorable as they formed a friendship that got Linus out of his comfort zone. It was slow goings for Linus to come around and be a little more himself (holy awkward convos, Batman!) around Danny but I did love this part of the story a great deal and had a big ol’ smile on my face whenever they graced the pages together.
There were a few little things that didn’t work for me as well as I hoped. It lacked somewhat in believability for teenage characters. Everything- conversations, inner dialogue, actions- seemed just a little too clean. I wish the characters felt a little more like teenagers and had that bit of edge to them. The plot is on the simpler side and focuses on the evolution of the characters but I would have liked to have seen a little more conflict thrown in to help the pacing.
I love reading a novel that represents the LGBTQ in such a normalized way like Meg & Linus. There was so much to enjoy with this read – learning to step outside your comfort zone to make new friends and opportunities, learning from mistakes, the art of moving on, supportive family, strong friendships, adorkable characters, and embracing your nerdiness. If you are looking for a cute coming of age novel than this is one to check out.
3.5 stars!
If I had to describe Meg & Linus in one word it would be – CUTE! Above all else, this is a story about friendship and Meg and Linus are major friend goals. They have that sort of friendship people strive to have in their life and it was a joy to read. They study together, join clubs, and set up movie marathons to watch. They have a deep compassion for each other and it showed on every page. When Meg’s girlfriend breaks up with her suddenly before the new school year, she has a tough time dealing with it and basically suppresses her feelings and distracts herself by trying to set up Linus with a cute new boy he has a crush on. And this is the backbone of the story.
The chapters flop back and forth in points of view between Meg and Linus. We get to see both characters sort of transform and come of age. Both characters are extremely smart and have a passion for learning. They love coffee, and Star Trek and I definitely noticed a reference to Lord of the Rings and Lembas bread thrown in. Meg is a little more outgoing and is determined to try new things and distract herself from the breakup. Her number one distraction comes in the form of trying to push Linus towards his new crush, Danny. Linus is the definition of adorkable. He is incredibly adorable but oh so nerdy and I loved him. His social awkwardness was so cute and man did I resonate with him on that. His chapters were my favorite. Unfortunately, Meg gets a little too pushy in her quest at times and I think I felt just as uncomfortable as Linus as I remembered my experiences with that in high school. But the thing was, it was never done maliciously. It always came from a place in her heart with the best intentions and that is exactly why this friendship worked so well for me. Even when the characters made mistakes, they always genuinely wanted happiness for each other and could realize their mistakes themselves.
Something else to love about Meg & Linus is the progression of friendship for Linus and Danny. Linus was crushing hard on the new boy before school even started but lacked the confidence to talk to him, feeling himself too nerdy and not so sure Danny was interested in boys romantically. Their interactions were so adorable as they formed a friendship that got Linus out of his comfort zone. It was slow goings for Linus to come around and be a little more himself (holy awkward convos, Batman!) around Danny but I did love this part of the story a great deal and had a big ol’ smile on my face whenever they graced the pages together.
There were a few little things that didn’t work for me as well as I hoped. It lacked somewhat in believability for teenage characters. Everything- conversations, inner dialogue, actions- seemed just a little too clean. I wish the characters felt a little more like teenagers and had that bit of edge to them. The plot is on the simpler side and focuses on the evolution of the characters but I would have liked to have seen a little more conflict thrown in to help the pacing.
I love reading a novel that represents the LGBTQ in such a normalized way like Meg & Linus. There was so much to enjoy with this read – learning to step outside your comfort zone to make new friends and opportunities, learning from mistakes, the art of moving on, supportive family, strong friendships, adorkable characters, and embracing your nerdiness. If you are looking for a cute coming of age novel than this is one to check out.
April 18, 2017
Meg and Linus have been best friends from the moment they met. They love studying, Star Trek, cookies, pizza and coffee. Linus is still single, but has met a boy he likes a lot. His name is Danny and he works at a coffee shop. Meg and Sophia have been together since Meg was fifteen years old and Meg dreams about getting married after college. She's shocked when Sophia breaks up with her at the end of the summer. It isn't the start of the school year Meg has envisioned. Sophia is a year ahead of her and already in college and doesn't want to give a long distance relationship a try. Meg is devastated, but is determined to try new things. Together with Linus she joins the drama club. However, she might have another motive than just having fun. She wants Linus to find a boyfriend and Meg is going to help him to get together with Danny. Meg isn't even sure Danny is gay, so is this really a good plan?
Meg and Linus have a precious kind of friendship. They are both kind and caring and they have a lot in common. Because Meg has been dating Sophia for a very long time, Linus is used to hanging out with both of them. When their situations reverse and Linus is hanging out with Danny, while Meg doesn't have anyone special in her life, their friendship is starting to become awkward. Meg has a broken heart and she has no idea how to deal with this and Linus doesn't know how to help her. This is an interesting topic for a story and I couldn't wait to find out where it would lead and read Meg & Linus in one sitting because of it.
Linus is adorable. He's incredibly sweet and a little bit shy. He keeps challenging himself though and I loved how naïve and brave he is at the same time. Danny is just as cute and they are endearing together. Meg is having a tough time and she's lonely, but she doesn't let anyone help her. My heart ached for her and I kept hoping she'd find happiness again. I loved that Meg & Linus is about friendship mostly. Of course love is part of the story, but reading about what it means to be a good friend is the most important aspect of Meg & Linus and it's what I liked best about the book.
Hanna Nowinski's writing flows easily. She alternates between Meg and Linus and I equally liked reading both points of view. Their last year at high school brings plenty of changes and I loved how Hanna Nowinski writes about major and minor things in the same empathic way. Meg & Linus is a lovely story filled with amazing friendship, insecurities, uneasy situations, happiness and change. I really enjoyed reading this wonderful story.
Meg and Linus have a precious kind of friendship. They are both kind and caring and they have a lot in common. Because Meg has been dating Sophia for a very long time, Linus is used to hanging out with both of them. When their situations reverse and Linus is hanging out with Danny, while Meg doesn't have anyone special in her life, their friendship is starting to become awkward. Meg has a broken heart and she has no idea how to deal with this and Linus doesn't know how to help her. This is an interesting topic for a story and I couldn't wait to find out where it would lead and read Meg & Linus in one sitting because of it.
Linus is adorable. He's incredibly sweet and a little bit shy. He keeps challenging himself though and I loved how naïve and brave he is at the same time. Danny is just as cute and they are endearing together. Meg is having a tough time and she's lonely, but she doesn't let anyone help her. My heart ached for her and I kept hoping she'd find happiness again. I loved that Meg & Linus is about friendship mostly. Of course love is part of the story, but reading about what it means to be a good friend is the most important aspect of Meg & Linus and it's what I liked best about the book.
Hanna Nowinski's writing flows easily. She alternates between Meg and Linus and I equally liked reading both points of view. Their last year at high school brings plenty of changes and I loved how Hanna Nowinski writes about major and minor things in the same empathic way. Meg & Linus is a lovely story filled with amazing friendship, insecurities, uneasy situations, happiness and change. I really enjoyed reading this wonderful story.
April 18, 2017
This book is really cute! I definitely enjoyed reading it! I haven't read a book in which both main characters are queer and I loved every second of it.
Meg and Linus have been friends forever and they share a lot of common things. Their friendship was the main theme of the book and I had a great time seeing it grow and develop further. They both deeply care about each other and it was quite the spectacle to see how this was actually one of the reasons of their small "falling apart". It's very much relatable and realistic because as I'm reading the book, I could recall similar events that happened to me and my friends. So yes, this book is like my kindred spirit.
Meg is more relatable for me as compared to Linus, because we're similar about many things. For one, I do act as a matchmaker between my friends and their crushes, especially if both of them are my friends. Haha! It's a great feeling to help out, especially if they end up being together. Although, both Meg and Linus are fabulous characters.
The development between Linus and Danny's relationship was a treat to read. I really enjoyed them both and I swooned so hard! Their scenes made me smile ear to ear! <3
Another thing I enjoyed about the story was the casual drop of pop culture references. Meg and Linus have this thing of having Star Trek marathons. Even Star Wars and Firefly were mentioned, also the Delorean, which was really cool because I'm a fan of all of these!
The only thing I had an issue with was the pacing. The book was a little slow at first, but then it picks up as you go further into the story. So, albeit that, I was able to read the book in one go. I also enjoyed how Meg and Linus were able to gain more friends throughout the book. Another thing was the depiction of family relationships in the book, it was really great and I love how open the characters were to their parents, and their parents being supportive to them.
Overall, this book was really a great and enjoyable one. It's such an amazing debut! The LGBTQ+ rep was amazing, friendships and family relationships were perfect! I'm glad both Meg and Linus got a happy ending!
Meg and Linus have been friends forever and they share a lot of common things. Their friendship was the main theme of the book and I had a great time seeing it grow and develop further. They both deeply care about each other and it was quite the spectacle to see how this was actually one of the reasons of their small "falling apart". It's very much relatable and realistic because as I'm reading the book, I could recall similar events that happened to me and my friends. So yes, this book is like my kindred spirit.
Meg is more relatable for me as compared to Linus, because we're similar about many things. For one, I do act as a matchmaker between my friends and their crushes, especially if both of them are my friends. Haha! It's a great feeling to help out, especially if they end up being together. Although, both Meg and Linus are fabulous characters.
The development between Linus and Danny's relationship was a treat to read. I really enjoyed them both and I swooned so hard! Their scenes made me smile ear to ear! <3
Another thing I enjoyed about the story was the casual drop of pop culture references. Meg and Linus have this thing of having Star Trek marathons. Even Star Wars and Firefly were mentioned, also the Delorean, which was really cool because I'm a fan of all of these!
The only thing I had an issue with was the pacing. The book was a little slow at first, but then it picks up as you go further into the story. So, albeit that, I was able to read the book in one go. I also enjoyed how Meg and Linus were able to gain more friends throughout the book. Another thing was the depiction of family relationships in the book, it was really great and I love how open the characters were to their parents, and their parents being supportive to them.
Overall, this book was really a great and enjoyable one. It's such an amazing debut! The LGBTQ+ rep was amazing, friendships and family relationships were perfect! I'm glad both Meg and Linus got a happy ending!
June 25, 2017
I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. I do like that it centered a friendship, that both of the MCs were flawed and made bad decisions, that it had a whole drama club plot. I liked Meg's relationship with her mom. & there is a sweet moment with Linus' parents that made me grin.
Ultimately, though, the voices and characterization weren't strong enough to make this compelling for me. I never got invested in them as characters.
I found the focus on getting Linus a boyfriend really hard, especially because of the intensity of his low self esteem. It mostly felt bad to read, as someone who also was a smart fat teen that was certain no one would want to date me. It was textually challenged all the way through, so I don't have concerns about the rep, but it made me sad to read him being that intensely certain through so much of the book that Danny could not possibly be into him.
As a heads up, there are casual uses of ableist words like "lame" and some casual cissexism as well.
Trigger warnings:
Ultimately, though, the voices and characterization weren't strong enough to make this compelling for me. I never got invested in them as characters.
I found the focus on getting Linus a boyfriend really hard, especially because of the intensity of his low self esteem. It mostly felt bad to read, as someone who also was a smart fat teen that was certain no one would want to date me. It was textually challenged all the way through, so I don't have concerns about the rep, but it made me sad to read him being that intensely certain through so much of the book that Danny could not possibly be into him.
As a heads up, there are casual uses of ableist words like "lame" and some casual cissexism as well.
Trigger warnings:
October 1, 2022
Meg and Linus are about two queer kids, who like Star Trek and coffee. It has a pretty good plot, I’d think. Just two gay and lesbian best friends (who aren’t into each other.)
I really saw nothing wrong with Meg, and her influence to help Linus, until I saw other peoples thoughts on her. While I think, a little flawed for that, you can’t blame her. Her girlfriend, Sophia broke up with her, so Meg just wanted to help her bff Linus to find a boyfriend of his own. (his name is Danny)
And while that did work, there were some bumps in the way. Lying is often wrong.. but is often sometimes (for the situation) good. Meg had no real intentions, hurting Linus. As Linus had no real intention hurting Meg.
I also felt like the plot went a bit too fast at the end (or maybe it could have just been me reading it fast) but hey, it’s the author’s first debut novel. Can’t blame her.
Overall, i loved this book, 5/5. There should be more fanart and more talk surrounding this book. Also, there should be more talk around Linus’s body (as he’s overweight/fat) and not just one or two sentences.
I really saw nothing wrong with Meg, and her influence to help Linus, until I saw other peoples thoughts on her. While I think, a little flawed for that, you can’t blame her. Her girlfriend, Sophia broke up with her, so Meg just wanted to help her bff Linus to find a boyfriend of his own. (his name is Danny)
And while that did work, there were some bumps in the way. Lying is often wrong.. but is often sometimes (for the situation) good. Meg had no real intentions, hurting Linus. As Linus had no real intention hurting Meg.
I also felt like the plot went a bit too fast at the end (or maybe it could have just been me reading it fast) but hey, it’s the author’s first debut novel. Can’t blame her.
Overall, i loved this book, 5/5. There should be more fanart and more talk surrounding this book. Also, there should be more talk around Linus’s body (as he’s overweight/fat) and not just one or two sentences.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2017
Nowinski, Hanna Meg and Linus 323 pgs. Swoon (Macmillion) 2017. $17.99 Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG (kiss) Violence: G
Meg and Linus are best friends going through their senior year of high school. Meg has two focuses: her heartbreak (her girlfriend dumped her) and Linus’s love life. Linus is thrilled to have a crush, but is unsure if Danny likes him back. The chapters alternate perspectives between Meg and Linus. As they participate in the drama club together things coming to a breaking point in their friendship.
This is a great super tame high school romance that could be added to a middle school or high school library. That being said it was very linear, overly long, and repetitive. I thought that if it was explicitly spelled yet again, that the main characters liked coffee and star trek, I would throw the book. I felt like the book would have been great at about 100 pages. As is, I felt like I lived that entire fall semester with the pair, and that it was pretty boring.
MS, HS –OPTIONAL Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
Meg and Linus are best friends going through their senior year of high school. Meg has two focuses: her heartbreak (her girlfriend dumped her) and Linus’s love life. Linus is thrilled to have a crush, but is unsure if Danny likes him back. The chapters alternate perspectives between Meg and Linus. As they participate in the drama club together things coming to a breaking point in their friendship.
This is a great super tame high school romance that could be added to a middle school or high school library. That being said it was very linear, overly long, and repetitive. I thought that if it was explicitly spelled yet again, that the main characters liked coffee and star trek, I would throw the book. I felt like the book would have been great at about 100 pages. As is, I felt like I lived that entire fall semester with the pair, and that it was pretty boring.
MS, HS –OPTIONAL Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
May 22, 2017
This is a quick, fluffy, cute read. Great to see multiple queer, interracial relationships in YA fiction and the main ~issue~ is just they're awkward nerds. As an adult reader, for me it veered a little bit into "oh my god just suck it up and talk about your feelings already" frustration, but for many a teen reader I think it will be extremely relatable.
March 3, 2019
This book was so cute! I loved Meg and Linus so much, they were such good friends. I thought the plot was interesting, that it was about a relationship ending and a relationship beginning. I would have loved this so much as a teenager and I still love it now.
This book is basically if Simon Spier had a lesbian BFF he watched Star Trek with and she set him up with the cute guy from the coffee shop.
Highly recommend!
This book is basically if Simon Spier had a lesbian BFF he watched Star Trek with and she set him up with the cute guy from the coffee shop.
Highly recommend!
dnf
July 22, 2019dnf page 68
wow i have dnfed no many books this year, and pretty much all for the same reason. i wasn't really in the mood for this book, and hopefully i'll pick it up again sometime in the future.
wow i have dnfed no many books this year, and pretty much all for the same reason. i wasn't really in the mood for this book, and hopefully i'll pick it up again sometime in the future.
May 1, 2020
I don't want to be unkind here because in many ways, this is a very sweet book.
It's about two queer best friends trying to navigate their love lives and the resulting impact on their friendship. Meg just got dumped by her girlfriend who was just leaving for college, and Linus is too shy to act on his crush for the local barista / drama geek. The pace is very slow and nothing much happens; also, Meg and Linus are very harmless. They do their homework, enjoy school, get on well with their parents... I'm fine with all that. Everyday life can be very much like that. It was refreshing to read about a normal friendship with its ups and downs, without any unnecessary drama.
Unfortunately I didn't like the characters much. If the pace is slow then you need to be invested in the narrators, at least, to keep your interest going, but that was impossible. Linus (that stupid name, urgh) was especially annoying, constantly oblivious to the obvious and definitely not as smart as everyone kept claiming.
The book got really repetitive as well, with endless references to coffee, pizza and cookies - the coffee obsession was really pretty ludicrous. And there were a few fatphobic comments - never a good thing.
But what bugged me the most was the cultural references. I think the book's meant to be set in the late 2010s because of the references to selfies and social media tagging. But all the cultural references are from the 90s / early 2000s - Star Trek, Firefly, Buffy, Savage Garden, Lord of the Rings, the Rose era of Dr Who, the Matrix... It's like the author wrote her book in 2005 and only found a publisher for it 15 years later. If her characters are such geeks, they should at least mention Marvel, even to say they don't like it and prefer Joss Whedon. It really bugged me, even though I love those films/shows. Either explicitly set your book in 2005, or try and find out what teenagers are into now...
It's about two queer best friends trying to navigate their love lives and the resulting impact on their friendship. Meg just got dumped by her girlfriend who was just leaving for college, and Linus is too shy to act on his crush for the local barista / drama geek. The pace is very slow and nothing much happens; also, Meg and Linus are very harmless. They do their homework, enjoy school, get on well with their parents... I'm fine with all that. Everyday life can be very much like that. It was refreshing to read about a normal friendship with its ups and downs, without any unnecessary drama.
Unfortunately I didn't like the characters much. If the pace is slow then you need to be invested in the narrators, at least, to keep your interest going, but that was impossible. Linus (that stupid name, urgh) was especially annoying, constantly oblivious to the obvious and definitely not as smart as everyone kept claiming.
The book got really repetitive as well, with endless references to coffee, pizza and cookies - the coffee obsession was really pretty ludicrous. And there were a few fatphobic comments - never a good thing.
But what bugged me the most was the cultural references. I think the book's meant to be set in the late 2010s because of the references to selfies and social media tagging. But all the cultural references are from the 90s / early 2000s - Star Trek, Firefly, Buffy, Savage Garden, Lord of the Rings, the Rose era of Dr Who, the Matrix... It's like the author wrote her book in 2005 and only found a publisher for it 15 years later. If her characters are such geeks, they should at least mention Marvel, even to say they don't like it and prefer Joss Whedon. It really bugged me, even though I love those films/shows. Either explicitly set your book in 2005, or try and find out what teenagers are into now...
April 2, 2017
This was originally posted on my blog
Disclaimer:I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
My Thoughts
Plot:
Meg and Linus is a dual perspective novel following two best friends:Meg and Linus. Meg and Linus have always bonded over the fact that they both love coffee, are total geeks and that they’re both gay. Meg has just broken up with her two year girlfriend, and is trying to find some way to distract herself when Linus begins to tutor a new kid. Meg knows that this would be the perfect distraction and makes it her new mission to try to get Linus and the guy he’s tutoring,Daniel, together.
Meg and Linus has exactly the type of book I was looking for, it was funny, cute, super gay and the whole thing had tons of Nerdy references.It was a great book that featured gay characters but it wasn’t about them being gay. Their sexuality was something that they were both totally comfortable with and it was just part of who they were. It was a super fluffy contemporary featuring theatre, coffee and Star-Trek watching sessions and I honestly couldn’t recommend it enough.
Characters:
As with most contemporary books, this one was a character central one with of course the two main characters being Meg and Linus. As I mentioned before, these two characters were such nerds and it was honestly so much fun to read each of their perspectives. I loved both of the characters, and their stories and I really don’t have any complaints. I’m not sure if a dual perspective novel was necessary but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I loved seeing the romance blossom between Daniel and Linus and it was honestly just the cutest thing ever, and I might’ve liked just a little bit more just to see more development in that area. Meg was also starting to develop a crush on someone in the later pages,and so I definitely think that there could’ve been another fifty pages or so, because this book was definitely on the shorter side.
One of the things I loved about this book was the friendship between Meg and Linus and while they did have some rough patches throughout the book they managed to get through it all, and really come out as stronger friends. Both Meg and Linus did some questionable things but in the end they recognized that what they had done was wrong and it definitely made them better friends. I really think that YA needs more books with opposite gender best friends that don’t turn in romances.
Disclaimer:I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
My Thoughts
Plot:
Meg and Linus is a dual perspective novel following two best friends:Meg and Linus. Meg and Linus have always bonded over the fact that they both love coffee, are total geeks and that they’re both gay. Meg has just broken up with her two year girlfriend, and is trying to find some way to distract herself when Linus begins to tutor a new kid. Meg knows that this would be the perfect distraction and makes it her new mission to try to get Linus and the guy he’s tutoring,Daniel, together.
Meg and Linus has exactly the type of book I was looking for, it was funny, cute, super gay and the whole thing had tons of Nerdy references.It was a great book that featured gay characters but it wasn’t about them being gay. Their sexuality was something that they were both totally comfortable with and it was just part of who they were. It was a super fluffy contemporary featuring theatre, coffee and Star-Trek watching sessions and I honestly couldn’t recommend it enough.
Characters:
As with most contemporary books, this one was a character central one with of course the two main characters being Meg and Linus. As I mentioned before, these two characters were such nerds and it was honestly so much fun to read each of their perspectives. I loved both of the characters, and their stories and I really don’t have any complaints. I’m not sure if a dual perspective novel was necessary but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I loved seeing the romance blossom between Daniel and Linus and it was honestly just the cutest thing ever, and I might’ve liked just a little bit more just to see more development in that area. Meg was also starting to develop a crush on someone in the later pages,and so I definitely think that there could’ve been another fifty pages or so, because this book was definitely on the shorter side.
One of the things I loved about this book was the friendship between Meg and Linus and while they did have some rough patches throughout the book they managed to get through it all, and really come out as stronger friends. Both Meg and Linus did some questionable things but in the end they recognized that what they had done was wrong and it definitely made them better friends. I really think that YA needs more books with opposite gender best friends that don’t turn in romances.
October 17, 2019
3.5 stars! (I usually don't write reviews but I got this book from a giveaway, so I thought I'd write a brief one)
I thought this was a really cute book! I haven't read this type of lighthearted YA novel in a while, so I'm glad I got a chance to with this book. Meg & Linus was a sweet book, and I really enjoyed the LGBT+ representation. While it focused quite a bit on romance, it also really highlighted the friendship between Meg and Linus, and it was interesting to see both of their thoughts with the alternating perspectives. Danny and Linus were adorable, and their somewhat awkward interactions reminded me of myself...
With this book, I did feel that I was waiting for something that took a while to build up to; I think there were some filler chapters that seemed a bit unnecessary. Other than that, I would recommend this to anyone who wants a quick read!
Also, this is such a random small detail, but I don't think I've ever read a book with this many exclamation points....
I thought this was a really cute book! I haven't read this type of lighthearted YA novel in a while, so I'm glad I got a chance to with this book. Meg & Linus was a sweet book, and I really enjoyed the LGBT+ representation. While it focused quite a bit on romance, it also really highlighted the friendship between Meg and Linus, and it was interesting to see both of their thoughts with the alternating perspectives. Danny and Linus were adorable, and their somewhat awkward interactions reminded me of myself...
With this book, I did feel that I was waiting for something that took a while to build up to; I think there were some filler chapters that seemed a bit unnecessary. Other than that, I would recommend this to anyone who wants a quick read!
Also, this is such a random small detail, but I don't think I've ever read a book with this many exclamation points....
June 23, 2017
I knew this book was going to be fluffy, but I wish it had had just a touch more substance.
Loved that both the main characters were queer and that they were going through different ends of a relationship. But most of the book felt like filler and even the drama at the end had no stakes whatsoever. Also, the dialogue got pretty cringe-worthy at times.
I always like cute get-togethers, so it had that going for it.
Loved that both the main characters were queer and that they were going through different ends of a relationship. But most of the book felt like filler and even the drama at the end had no stakes whatsoever. Also, the dialogue got pretty cringe-worthy at times.
I always like cute get-togethers, so it had that going for it.
July 25, 2018
Content warning: Ableism, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia
Meg and Linus are queer best friends, who love Star Trek and each other. As they start their senior year things start to change in their lies, some for the good and some not so good. This is your classic coming of age story but from 2 queer kids.
So basically I just did not give a flying toss about Meg. The book is all about her and Linus' friendship but I just wish it had been only from Linus' POV. Yeah it's great to have a half sapphic half m/m novel, but she was just infuriating. Whereas Linus is a small bean who just needs to be protected. Now I'm a fan of anti-heroes and unlikeable characters as it brings something different to the table but this was more a case of she was just an annoying character that you could tell the writer wanted to be likeable but did not come off that way.
Continue my review here: https://kirstyreadsblog.wordpress.com...
Meg and Linus are queer best friends, who love Star Trek and each other. As they start their senior year things start to change in their lies, some for the good and some not so good. This is your classic coming of age story but from 2 queer kids.
So basically I just did not give a flying toss about Meg. The book is all about her and Linus' friendship but I just wish it had been only from Linus' POV. Yeah it's great to have a half sapphic half m/m novel, but she was just infuriating. Whereas Linus is a small bean who just needs to be protected. Now I'm a fan of anti-heroes and unlikeable characters as it brings something different to the table but this was more a case of she was just an annoying character that you could tell the writer wanted to be likeable but did not come off that way.
Continue my review here: https://kirstyreadsblog.wordpress.com...
May 26, 2018
2🌟/ 5🌟
I really wanted to like this book and was looking forward to diverse, nerdy characters - a much desired alternative to all the models & superhunks BUT: it let me down.
1) It is ok if characters like coffee but you don't have to mention it every second page
2) The characters, how endearing they might be, fell flat
3) Best friends not addressing an issue for a very long time, just so the book can have a conflict that blows up and then is resolved is a deal breaker/very unrealistic
The end was really sweet :)
I really wanted to like this book and was looking forward to diverse, nerdy characters - a much desired alternative to all the models & superhunks BUT: it let me down.
1) It is ok if characters like coffee but you don't have to mention it every second page
2) The characters, how endearing they might be, fell flat
3) Best friends not addressing an issue for a very long time, just so the book can have a conflict that blows up and then is resolved is a deal breaker/very unrealistic
The end was really sweet :)
July 2, 2016
Read for free at swoonreads.com - http://www.swoonreads.com/m/meg-and-l...
This was an okay contemporary romance about a girl whose girlfriend had dumped her, and a boy who fancied another boy at school. We got some dates set up through trickery, and a bit of flirting, but I have to say that I lost interest a bit fairly early on.
6 out of 10
This was an okay contemporary romance about a girl whose girlfriend had dumped her, and a boy who fancied another boy at school. We got some dates set up through trickery, and a bit of flirting, but I have to say that I lost interest a bit fairly early on.
6 out of 10
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